Spicy Brain Soup: ADHD, Creativity, and Everything Everywhere All At Once
***NOTE: This episode was recorded back in January of 2024. In typical ADHD fashion (and wanting to wait to release the episode until Sean’s wife’s pregnancy announcement was fully announced!), this episode sat in the drafts folder….for approximately 1 year and 13 days. C’est la vie. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)***
In this episode, I sit down with my friend Sean Khuon-Paige to dive into ADHD and creativity—two forces that have shaped our lives in profound ways. We share our journeys of growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, finally receiving a diagnosis (in college for Sean and later in adulthood for me), and navigating the challenges of medication. We also explore how we’ve learned to manage ADHD while working as full-time freelance creatives, balancing its unique challenges and benefits in our creative work.
We unpack how ADHD has impacted us differently—whether it’s the struggle to focus on things we “should” be doing or the intensity of hyper-focus on creative projects that truly matter to us. While it’s not always easy, we talk about the systems and routines we’ve built to help bring structure to the chaos.
We also reflect on how societal perceptions of ADHD influence the way we view ourselves and approach our work. Online communities and memes bring humor and connection, but they also remind us we’re not navigating this alone. And, naturally, we couldn’t resist talking about Everything Everywhere All At Once—a film that captures the layered, fast-paced chaos of an ADHD mind in a way that feels both relatable and validating.
Finally, we share a glimpse into what’s ahead for both of us: I’m working on developing a workshop and course, while Sean is preparing for fatherhood and continuing to grow his creative business, Nice & Easy Films, with his partner Simone.
This episode is jam-packed with an honest and personal look at living and creating with ADHD—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. If you’ve ever felt like your brain is a spicy soupy mix of challenges and untapped potential…this one’s for you. <3
—Find Sean Everywhere on all platforms at once: @seankp.bsky.social
Sean’s latest projects: Nice & Easy Films (a PDX-based production company with a focus on brand stories, commercials, and documentaries. Nice people, easy workflow.
(@niceeasyfilms on Instagram)Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/showcase/niceeasyfilms [https://vimeo.com/showcase/niceeasyfilms]
Special mentions:Jamie Brindle, freelance creative (@jamiebrindle on Instagram)
Simone Scarpino, Partner at nice & easy (@simonescarpino on instagram)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail opening credits as an example of "unhinged" creativity: Monty Python and the Holy Grail: Opening Credits [https://youtu.be/79TVMn_d_Pk?feature=shared]
About Sean: Sean Khuon-Paige (he/him) is a dad, husband, cinematographer, photographer, drone pilot, gaffer, small business owner, ADHDer, and wearer of probably too many hats. He is 1/2 of the creative agency, Nice & Easy Films, where he works as a director of photography shooting commercials, short films, and documentaries.
