07/08/2026
I was 10 years old the first time I navigated my body and mind not coping with the pressure to be enough.
I was training 3-4 evenings a week for gymnastics and drowning when it came to homework.
The expectations and pressure I placed on myself to ādo it allā were considered ānormal.ā
At 17 I experienced my body giving in completely for the first time. Un-diagnosed glandular fever became Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. And I spent months bed bound, only getting up to go to doctorās appointments, naturopaths, and to get more blood tests.
Over the years I have phases where Iām high functioning and living life to the fullest.
And then, sometimes with no warning at all, the flare up happens. Body shuts down, new weird symptoms kick in, and over the years Iāve slowly uncovered whatās going on.
Endometriosis, Iron Deficient Anemia, Hashimotoās Disease, Adenomyosis, POTS, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
All āinvisibleā yet the impact on my life visible.
Almost 20 years of lived experience of navigating how to fit into systems, and a world, not designed for your body. Systems that prioritise productivity and doing more over working with your natural rhythms to prioritise health and wellbeing.
This is why I do what I do.
Because I know Iām not alone.
1 in 9 women have Endometriosis.
1 in 2 Australian women live with at least one chronic long-term health condition.
40% of women who experience high pain related to these work through it.
77% of women report burning out at least once in their career.
It takes on average 8-10 years to receive a confirmed diagnosis.
And it often takes seeing at least 10 different health care professionals before someone begins to connect the dots that lead to a diagnosis.
All of this equals a whole lot of effort, energy and time directed to caring for yourself in order to simply be a functional human being at the baseline of a person not living with an visible/invisible health condition.
So maybe itās not women not doing enough.
Because most women are already doing far too much and still feeling like theyāre drowning.
Share your thoughts or experiences below šš¾
