This week on The Millennial Body Image Project, we’re diving into the often hidden ways ADHD, perfectionism, and emotional dysregulation overlap—and how they can quietly shape everything from your productivity to your relationship with food.
Our guest, Sarah Kesty, is an executive function coach and host of the Executive Function Podcast. Drawing from her work with neurodivergent students and her own lived experience with an invisible chronic illness, Sarah offers a compassionate, real-world perspective on why managing everyday tasks can feel so overwhelming.
Here are some of my favorite takeaways from this week’s episode:
- Perfectionism and task paralysis often go hand-in-hand. For many people with ADHD, the fear of doing something imperfectly makes it hard to even get started—leading to procrastination, stress, and burnout.
- Executive function affects everything—including eating. From planning meals to actually remembering to eat, Sarah reminds us that struggles with food aren’t always about willpower—they’re often about brain function.
- Childhood criticism leaves a mark. Research shows that kids with ADHD hear tens of thousands more negative messages than their peers by age 10, shaping deeply ingrained coping mechanisms like perfectionism or people-pleasing.
- Self-compassion is key. Whether it’s buying frozen veggies instead of prepping from scratch or taking frequent breaks, building systems that support your brain (instead of fighting it) is essential.
- Community helps regulate. Finding spaces where you feel seen—like peer groups, online forums, or even trusted friends—can reduce shame and help reframe your struggles as shared, not personal.
Sarah also shares brain-friendly strategies for staying regulated, including hydration, sleep, and play. Plus, she introduces her upcoming projects at Brain Tools School, including a training program for those who want to help others improve executive function.
This conversation is a reminder that your brain isn’t broken—it might just need different tools.
Listen to the full episode below to hear Sarah’s stories, tips, and encouragement for navigating ADHD and perfectionism with more ease and self-understanding.
Resources mentioned:
- The Executive Function Podcast with Sarah Kesty
- Episode: Strategies for eating enough, on time, and “healthy-ish” with Dana Monsees
- Brain Tools School
- Mighty Community: NURA for CFS/long covid
- How ADHD and executive function impact eating behaviors with Mallory Band
- The ADHD and eating disorders connection, with Stacie Fanelli
More about our guest: Sarah Kesty helps amazing neurodivergent people create strategies to thrive! She is an executive function, autism, and ADHD coach and host of the Executive Function Podcast. A 4-time teacher of the year, Sarah’s Brain Tools School coaching and learning programs support high schoolers, college students, adults, and coaches in developing executive function skills to smooth out life.
Sarah specializes in translating research into real-life, actionable strategies. She regularly writes and presents for international groups and publications, including Psychology Today, KQED, and Edutopia. Her mission is to make the world brain-friendly, inclusive, and a little more fun. An avid gardener and local Trail Guide, she and her family live in San Diego, surrounded by birds and nature. Her book for teachers, Growing Executive Function, will be released August 2025 (Solution Tree).
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