Ａletter from Dr. Ben Fung Greetings everyone! It has been quite some time since I've shared my thoughts on this column. I'm thankful to be back and have exciting things to share. First, I'd like to encourage all the children, young people, and family members reading this with an update in my life. I think it's terribly easy to become discouraged and even depressed when there doesn't seem to be any end in sight... when failure seems to be the only pattern in life. Please know, it DOES get better... you just need to know how to navigate the roads of life to find pathways of success. I believe the last update I gave was five years ago! Has it been that long?! Well, in 2010 I had just gotten married, recently graduated with honors with a doctorate degree in physical therapy, and was tackling my first professional job. It's hard to believe that a child with ADD who constantly got in trouble during elementary school, had difficulties with grades in middle school, struggled through high school, and almost failed out of college could get this far. Well, I did and EVERYONE can do the same with the right approach. Well, since 2010, I've been blessed with a new addition to my family. My son, Nathan. He's a year and a half old now and I can tell you he's smarter than I am. I've also had lots of job changes, all of which were good. I quit my first job for a promotion into management as a program director. I quit that job to spend more time with my family. I then got a raise working in home health as a line staff again. Since 2012, I've been tackling an online MBA degree from the University of Michigan. I'll graduate with that degree with a concentration in marketing this April. I've completed writing my first book about finding success, to which I'm looking to find publishing avenues and am very excited about this year. My wife and I dubbed 2014 the year of family. And, we've decided that 2015 is the year of ADVENTURE! Secondly, I want to share that I'll be writing quite regularly in this column, sharing both my experience as well as my advice regarding various stages of growth with ADHD. The theme behind these posts will circulate not on the disadvantages of ADHD, but rather, how to both contain and properly channel the raw energy ADHD individuals have. Thirdly, for a long time, I've shared most of my thoughts on this website with a pen-name... simply for the sake of privacy at the time. However, I've become more of a public figure, especially through social media. I want to say it here and now that I want to be accessible to you. You can connect with me best via Twitter @DrBenFung. If you're a Facebook fan, I also have a page Facebook.com/DrBenFung. Finally, if there are other ways you wish to connect, I'd be happy to look into those outlets. In the United States, Twitter & Facebook are the big social media platforms. If there are other ways which are more convenient to you on the international level, please let me know! So what's coming down our road here together? Well, I'm going to revisit our discussion on the the elementary school experience, the middle school experience, the high school experience, and even the college/professional experience through the ADHD lense. I'll also talk about test taking strategies to leverage ADHD mindframes (to which, a little known fact about me, I used to be a standardized exam review instructor). Finally, I want to hear from you. I know its a scary thing to share; to be vulnerable on a public level. That's why I used a pen-name to begin with. If you need to engage me anonymously, that's FINE! I encourage it. But, I want to hear your specific stories, concerns, questions, and areas where you need guidance and advice. I look forward to resume our time together and I look forward to connecting with you on this comeback tour. Your's Humbly and Respectfully, -Dr. Ben Fung