This labor of love wouldn’t have been possible without some truly special people, without whom I’d be living a much emptier life.
Thank you to Marian Lizzi, a writer’s dream and a truly wonderful editor. What a pleasure to have had you by my side during this journey! And of course, this is my third book with my wonderful agent Carol Mann—thank you, Carol!
As always, Meagan Walker continues to be the best assistant known to man. She’s the reason I first learned to channel my ADHD into something beneficial, and she’s stuck with me through thick and thin, even when I didn’t think she would, and even when she’d tell me something, I’d say “Uh-huh,” and then immediately forget everything she just told me. Meagan, you’re my rock, and I love you.
David Roher and Todd Evans, thank you both for being there. David for being my 3:00 A.M. running accountability partner (let’s not get arrested anymore), and Todd for always being one text message away.
To all my guests on the Faster Than Normal podcast, I’ve learned so much from you, and you’re the real heroes of the podcast. Thank you for trusting me with your stories. Special shout-out to Dr. Ned Hallowell for being my first guest, and more important, giving me that first glimmer of hope that what I was struggling with could actually be a huge, huge benefit. I’m so glad we’ve become friends!
Family first, always! Mom and Dad, I thought about you daily while writing this book—I can’t imagine what it must have been like to have a younger version of me running around in the seventies and eighties, full of energy, full of ridiculous ideas, and full of . . . well, a lot of questions. Somehow you managed to teach me that the thing that made me the most different was actually my best gift to myself and the world. For that, I’ll always be eternally grateful.
To Kira Shalom—I’m blessed to have known you, and I’m fortunate to have been allowed into your life for as long as I was. I know I wasn’t easy to live with, and your patience, kindness, and, well, patience again, showed in everything you did. A lot of this book came out of what I learned from our interactions, and I thank you for all the lessons I’ve learned from you. You’re an amazing woman, a great friend, and a truly wonderful mother.
Finally, to my daughter Jessa—sometimes, when I sneak into your room after you’ve fallen asleep, I watch you and I realize that you’re already so much smarter than I ever possibly could be. I only want you to know that no matter what happens in your life, no matter what great things you go on to do, I’ll always, always, always have your back, and my love, my protection, and my faster than normal brain will be forever at your disposal.