One Brave Reset: A Misogi for Late-Diagnosed Adults

Draw a line in the sand with Misogi.

If you were diagnosed with ADHD later in life, you probably carry two stories at once. One is relief. Things finally make sense. The other is grief for all the years spent pushing uphill without a map, something I urge you to avoid by reframing your reflection on the success and wisdom you’ve accrued.

A Misogi offers a clean, powerful way to mark this turning point.

Not as punishment. Not as self-improvement theater. But as a chosen reset.

What is a Misogi?

A Misogi is a single, intentional challenge you plan once a year. It should feel meaningful, a little scary, and deeply personal. The goal isn’t to prove anything to anyone. The goal is to meet yourself fully present, without masks, coping tricks, or old narratives running the show.

For Wise Squirrels, this matters more than most.

You’ve spent years adapting, compensating, and surviving. A Misogi lets you say, “That chapter is acknowledged. Now I choose what comes next.”

Your Misogi doesn’t need to be extreme. It needs to be honest.

Maybe it’s doing something physical that reminds you you’re capable. Maybe it’s a creative act you’ve avoided because it felt too vulnerable. Maybe it’s a solo experience where you can’t distract, rush, or perform. The right Misogi is the one that makes you feel quietly nervous and deeply alive at the same time.

When you complete it, something shifts. Not magically. Not instantly. But clearly.

You stop asking, “What’s wrong with me?”
You start asking, “What do I want to do with who I actually am?”

A line in the sand

Planning a Misogi is a way of honoring your ADHD diagnosis without being defined by it. It’s a line in the sand. A moment that says: I’m not starting over. I’m starting forward.

One brave reset can be enough to remind you that your life isn’t late. It’s finally aligned, and you can move forward with purpose and grace.

For more about finding your purpose, try our Ikigai.