From the outside, my life may have looked busy, ambitious, and full of possibilities. But like many people with ADHD, the reality was far more complex, a mix of resilience, setbacks, reinvention, and slow recovery. This is my story: from childhood struggles to career highs and devastating burnout, to finding new purpose in advocacy and entrepreneurship.
Childhood: The Unseen Struggles
Growing up, I always knew I was “different.” I was bright, curious, and creative, but also restless, impulsive, and often misunderstood. Teachers noticed the distraction more than the imagination. Friends sometimes struggled with my intensity. I often felt like everyone else had a map for life, and I didn’t.
Back then, ADHD wasn’t a word anyone gave me, instead I was told I was “not paying attention,” “disruptive,” or “too much.” What I needed was support and structure, but instead I learnt to mask. On the outside I looked like I was coping, but inside I carried the constant weight of feeling “broken” or “less than.”
Adulthood & Career: From High Achiever to Burnout
As an adult, I carried that restless drive into my career. ADHD can feel like a double-edged sword: it gave me creativity, energy, and quick thinking. I thrived in fast-paced jobs where others struggled. But under the successes were always cracks.
The truth is, ADHD brains can run at full throttle, until they can’t. Without the right scaffolding, the same traits that fuel achievement can lead to exhaustion. I pushed through for years without adjustments, working late, juggling deadlines, and trying to prove I was just as capable. But the cost added up.
When Covid hit, the mix of pressure and lack of support finally caught up with me. I crashed into burnout.
Burnout, Health, and Lack of Support
Burnout wasn’t just tiredness; it was my body and mind shutting down. Alongside ADHD, I was managing complex health conditions that deepened the exhaustion. What made it worse was the lack of understanding from my employer. Instead of support, I was met with silence, bureaucracy, and disbelief.
Work became unsafe, the very place I’d poured myself into now broke me down from the inside. That spiral led to worsening mental health, rising stress, and the familiar weight of feeling “too much” and “not enough” at the same time.
Family & Relationships: The Ripple Effect
ADHD doesn’t only affect the person living with it, it ripples into family life. My children saw both sides: the days I could take on the world, and the days getting out of bed was a battle.
My partner carried the weight when I couldn’t, reminding me I was more than my struggles. But the guilt was constant: guilt for being absent, for being ill, for not giving 100%.
The Crash: Functional Neurological Disorder
The tipping point came when I developed Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). My body stopped cooperating with my mind. Walking was difficult. Falls became frequent. Everyday tasks felt impossible. FND was like my nervous system pulling the emergency brake after years of overdrive.
Recovery hasn’t been quick. It’s a daily practice. But step by step, I’ve rebuilt: walking my dogs alone again, regaining my voice through years of speech therapy, and reclaiming small victories that once felt out of reach.
Recovery & Reinvention: Turning Lemons into Lemonade
In crisis, I realised something powerful: I couldn’t wait for the world to accommodate me, I had to create a life that worked with my brain, not against it.
That’s when my new ventures began to grow:
- Aura & Ash: a lifestyle and wellness brand, born from the need to slow down and live with more intention.
- Alchemy Souls Travel: my personal brand as a travel influencer, advocating for accessible, sensory-friendly, family-focused travel.
- Advocacy: speaking openly about ADHD, health conditions, workplace discrimination, and resilience.
What started as survival has become purpose. My journey isn’t about erasing ADHD or FND — it’s about living with them unapologetically and shaping something positive from them.
An Ongoing Practice
I don’t pretend I’ve got it all figured out. Recovery isn’t linear. ADHD doesn’t go away. FND doesn’t vanish. There are setbacks and doubts. But I’ve learnt to honour my limits, celebrate wins (big and small), and embrace the creativity that makes me who I am.
Most of all, I want to show others that even when life knocks you down, you can rise again. You can take the lemons life throws at you and make something not just bearable, but meaningful.
Why I Share My Story
I share my story not for sympathy, but for connection. Too many people are silently battling ADHD, burnout, or health conditions in a world that doesn’t always understand. If my story helps even one person feel less alone, or inspires one employer to listen, then it’s worth it.
For me, ADHD has been both challenge and gift. It has broken me down, but also rebuilt me stronger, more creative, and more determined to advocate for change.
“Living slowly. Loving fiercely. Dreaming and healing loudly.”
That’s the compass guiding me forward.
Alchemy Souls Travel 
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