My broody hen just hatched four baby chicks from another hen’s eggs.
Honestly, I did not think it would work.
These eggs had traveled across state lines, sat on top of my refrigerator for a few days, and then I thought, “What the heck. I’ll put them under my broody hen.”
She wasn’t laying anyway, and I was feeling a little irritated with her.
At day 20, I saw a crack in one shell. I still didn’t believe it. I thought maybe she had just stepped on it.
But at day 21, right on schedule, there were two tiny chicks. Adorable. Peeping. Very much alive.
Over the next 24 hours, two more hatched.
I was shocked.
Which is funny, because I probably shouldn’t have been. This has been happening since the first chicken and egg.
But it got me thinking about ADHD and this next season of life.
Sometimes the Process Works Even When We Doubt It
For many of us with ADHD, especially those 55+, life is not suddenly simple. We may be dealing with grown kids, grandkids, aging parents, downsizing, health changes, work, retirement questions, grief, unfinished dreams, and the strange feeling of, “Wait. How did I get here already?”
And ADHD can make this season feel even more tangled. We can see too many possibilities at once, struggle to start even when something matters deeply, and get caught between big dreams and low bandwidth. Sometimes “I don’t know where to begin” starts to feel like “It’s too late.”
But What If It Isn’t Too Late?
This season is not about magical thinking.
It is about working with our real time, real energy, real brains, real limits, and real hopes.
Neuroscience reminds us that the brain can still change. Not usually through one grand dramatic overhaul, but through repeated attention, small actions, and supported practice. Tiny steps, repeated over time, can build new pathways.
That sounds a lot like sitting on eggs.
Not flashy. Not instant. Not always believable.
But something may be forming underneath.
One Good Thing
So here is the question I am asking myself this summer:
What is one good thing that, if it happened, would make this summer feel like a success?
Not ten things. Not a total life makeover.
One good thing.
One thing worth tending.
One thing worth sitting with long enough to see what might hatch.
Maybe it is a room cleared out enough to breathe. Maybe it is one health habit that supports the body you actually live in. Maybe it is making space for art, friendship, faith, learning, rest, or adventure.
My broody hen was a first-time hen hatcher. I am a first-time chicken owner. Neither of us looked especially expert.
But the chicks still hatched.
What Are You Ready to Hatch?
I believe the latter third of life is still a time for hatching something new and wonderful. Sometimes it begins with one small, brave “what the heck” step.
A little willingness. A few weeks of trusting the process. And the boring next step, done with hope.
If you are 55+ with ADHD and wondering what this next season could look like, I would love to have you join me in the 55+ group coaching pod at the Center, where together we will explore what it means to trust the process long enough to hatch something good.
You can schedule a complimentary Get Acquainted call here to see whether the pod is a good fit.
And if you are looking for a different kind of ADHD support, I also encourage you to check out the other amazing coaches at the Center here.
Rhea Finch, PCAC, ACC
ADHD Coach and Life Coach, Executive Skills Coach