378 | The Labyrinth of Growth Work with Justin Classen

"It’s very easy to get lost in what other people say and think it’s your own thoughts.” Your host, Eric Tivers, welcomes back returning guest Justin Classen who was previously on the show in episodes 195 and 260. They discuss Justin’s journey after his last appearance on the podcast, navigating issues of trust, attachment theory, and codependency, and his growth work today on ADHD reWired.

Since Justin’s ADHD diagnosis, he’s made a multitude of critical changes to gain better insight and control over his seemingly chaotic existence that helped transform his life. A series of traumatic psychological events proved to be a catalyst that transformed a desire for truth into diligent hyperfocus and dedication to reprogramming his entire understanding of reality through the labyrinth of human psychology.  

The last time he appeared on the show, Justin had made significant progress on his journey to acceptance, positive change, and self-awareness development and discussed his strategies and results from transitioning between his home and work life. In this episode, he expands on what’s happened during the last year and talks about seeking help through a psychologist, spending time alone with himself for greater self-awareness, and his experiences with co-dependency and dealing with manipulative people. He also shares how he handles moments of wanting to quit his growth work, accountability for himself, and speaking truth from trauma.

From Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Justin is a hyper-active whirlwind with many interests and passions. Those who know him call him a “jack of all trades.” While he was diagnosed with ADHD in 2017, his diagnosis was prolonged for two years due to memory lapses that prevented him from attending his evaluation. But even with a profound number of failures, he’s found success too and is currently investing his intense energy into various chosen hobbies and careers.

You'll learn:

• [03:20] Welcome back to the show, Justin!
• [05:50] Justin reveals his latest hobbies.
• [07:07] In the last year, Justin has started seeing a psychologist.
• [09:18] Self-awareness is an important core value that can uncover blind spots and accelerate your growth.
• [11:44] How has Justin learned to trust himself and deal with others’ feedback?
• [12:45] Often people with ADHD can be susceptible to narcissistic people.
• [14:21] Justin talks about why he often didn’t enjoy receiving recognition from others.
• [15:50] What does Justin go through when he realizes he’s in a manipulative relationship?
• [23:14] Eric and Justin discuss attachment theory.
• [24:51] Eric shares one of the most helpful pieces of information he found while reading up on attachment.
• [27:31] Justin has hit moments of wanting to get off the growth train for a while.
• [30:28] Organization is a big area Justin has been working on lately, but time management is still his biggest issue.
• [32:54] To remain accountable to himself, has Justin requested help from anyone to keep him disciplined?
• [33:45] Justin somehow manages to function on very few hours of sleep.
• [35:19] Eric finds it difficult to wind down when he’s out of town on business.
• [36:35] Justin has managed to find ways to integrate his leisurely time into his busy daily life.
• [42:19] What does the phrase “from trauma speaks truth” mean to Justin?
• [44:14] Despite his traumatic past, Justin doesn’t give off a feeling of resentment.
• [45:30] Friends that Justin thought he had a year ago are no longer friends.
• [47:07] Justin reveals the best thing he’s learned over the past year.
• [48:58] What would Justin say to anyone who thinks that beating themselves up is the only way to change?
• [50:14] For some people, negative attention is better than no attention at all.
• [52:21] Laughter can be some good medicine. Find the funny in the situation.
• [54:35] Justin is in a vastly different place from when he first appeared on the podcast.
• [57:33] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at  www.ADHDreWired.com.

Find Justin Classen:

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