MAGI

22/03/2026

Ikigai… your reason for being.

A Japanese concept meaning “reason for living” or “what makes life worth it.”

For me, that’s MAGI.

But PMDD?

PMDD can completely take me away from it.
Twice a month.

And if you’ve never experienced it, it’s hard to explain just how intense that shift is.

It’s like a temporary neurological blackout.
The version of me who is clear, driven, building, passionate… disappears.

In her place is exhaustion, overwhelm, anger, and this heavy feeling of “what’s the point?”

And that’s the bit people don’t talk about enough.

It’s not a mindset problem.
It’s not lack of motivation.
It’s biology.

So I’ve had to stop fighting it… and start working with it.

During that phase, ikigai doesn’t look like building, creating, or pushing forward.

It looks like this:

Lowering expectations
Letting go of guilt
Redefining purpose as getting through the day

Because surviving that phase is enough.

Your purpose hasn’t gone.
It’s paused.

I’ve started thinking of “micro-ikigai” instead.

Small things that bring even a tiny sense of comfort or grounding:

A quiet moment
A bath
Something that makes me laugh
Just being, without pressure

Not big purpose.
Just enough.

Practical things help too:

Having a PMDD care kit ready
Writing things down instead of holding it all in
Letting people know “I’m in that week”

And most importantly… remembering this:

The thoughts you have in that phase are not the truth.
They are a state.

Because when the fog lifts?

I’m back.
The vision is back.
MAGI is back.

And so is my ikigai.

So if you’re in it right now…

You haven’t lost your purpose.
You’re just in the part where your body needs you more than your ambition does.

And that counts too.

⸻

ADHDWomen Perimenopause MAGI FounderLife MentalHealthMatters

22/03/2026

Ikigai… your reason for being.

A Japanese concept meaning “reason for living” or “what makes life worth it.”

For me, that’s MAGI.

But PMDD?

PMDD can completely take me away from it.
Currently for me that’s, twice # a month. Intensely.

And if you’ve never experienced it, it’s hard to explain just how intense that shift is.

It’s like a temporary neurological blackout.
The version of me who is clear, driven, building, passionate… disappears.

In her place is exhaustion, overwhelm, anger, and this heavy feeling of “what’s the point?”

And that’s the bit people don’t talk about enough.

It’s not a mindset problem.
It’s not lack of motivation.
It’s biology.

So I’ve had to stop fighting it… and start working with it.

During that phase, ikigai doesn’t look like building, creating, or pushing forward.

It looks like this:

Lowering expectations
Letting go of guilt
Redefining purpose as getting through the day

Because surviving that phase is enough.

Your purpose hasn’t gone.
It’s paused.

I’ve started thinking of “micro-ikigai” instead.

Small things that bring even a tiny sense of comfort or grounding:

A quiet moment
A bath
Something that makes me laugh
Just being, without pressure

Not big purpose.
Just enough.

Practical things help too:

Having a PMDD care kit ready
Writing things down instead of holding it all in
Letting people know “I’m in that week”

And most importantly… remembering this:

The thoughts you have in that phase are not the truth.
They are a state.

Because when the fog lifts?

I’m back.
The vision is back.
MAGI is back.

And so is my ikigai.

So if you’re in it right now…

You haven’t lost your purpose.
You’re just in the part where your body needs you more than your ambition does.

And that counts too.

20/03/2026

I’m fine to chill says the body, the mind 🧠 has a different idea!

Yeah… I know I’m feeling this myself at the moment and this is the worst bit isn’t it!?

Your body’s like we’re fine, we can chill
and your brain’s like absolutely not, here’s a full emotional spiral

So don’t try to stop the feeling outright
that’s why it gets louder

You need to interrupt it and soften it

Think of it like bringing the volume down, not switching it off

First thing
name what’s happening properly

Not I feel awful
More like

This is a dopamine drop and nervous system dip

That small shift stops your brain turning it into a personal story

Then do something straight away, not later

Change your state before your thoughts

Your brain won’t think its way out of this

Try

step outside for a few minutes, light helps reset your brain
cold water on your face or hands
put music on and move, even slightly

This isn’t fluff, it’s chemistry

Then give your brain a tiny anchor

Not a big plan
not fix your life

Something simple like

sit in a café with a drink
put a podcast on and potter
message one safe person, even just hey
have something on in the background so you’re not in silence

You’re creating low level connection and stimulation

This one matters

No plans days need structure

Not strict
just something to hold onto

Morning get out the house
Midday eat something decent
Afternoon one small task or outing
Evening something cosy

Without that, your brain fills the space with noise

When the thoughts come in like
no one cares
I’m alone
this is horrible

Don’t argue with them

Just go
this is that feeling again

and carry on doing the small action anyway

Also real talk

Perimenopause and ADHD together means your emotional baseline can drop quicker

Some days will feel heavier for no obvious reason

That’s not failure
that’s biology

If you remember one thing

Don’t stay still and don’t stay isolated

Even passive connection counts

People nearby
sound in the background
movement in your body

That combination stops the drop getting deeper

And just so you don’t question yourself

You can love your own space
and still feel like this

Both can be true

20/03/2026

Loneliness with ADHD doesn’t feel like “a bit quiet”

It feels like a full body drop

No plans = no structure
No structure = dopamine crash
Dopamine crash = your brain telling you you’re completely alone

Add perimenopause into the mix
and your hormones are literally turning the volume up on everything

So what looks like “just a quiet day”
can feel like a really dark place

This isn’t you being dramatic
It’s your brain, your hormones and your nervous system all colliding at once

More women need to hear this
because too many of us think it’s just us

19/03/2026

PMDD or ADHD???

18/03/2026

Hard relate on the burn out the overwhelm!?? would be great to hear about your experiences too??
💕

18/03/2026

Hi so I am going to be put up videos of Life experience of living with ADHD Autism, PMDD, PCOS, Fibromyalgia and a big dollop of perimenopause.
What it’s like from me and all the things that are going on in my world and also insights in to the MAGI platform for other Neurodivergent women and girls that I’m developing and why you’re in this group to find out why so keep your eyes peeled.

Be really good if we could start some conversations about any of the topics and share our experiences
💕

15/03/2026

I’ve decided to keep a substack blog/diary of my lived experience living with PMDD, AuDHD, Fibromyalgia and PCOS.

How I manage, how I don’t manage. The ups, the downs and all the chaos and wonderful stuff in between. The journey so far, the journey in front of me and what ever else comes to mind. Which could be absolutely anything!

Please come and subscribe to my page. Hope you either enjoy, learn something and feel free to share with others especially those who are also living this health journey (or parts of it!)

I’m sure it will really help others understand exactly why I’m building MAGI and how (she) will help others and me!

Might start some videos too…so keep a look out. Feel free to share your experieces with me too!

PMDD is a nightmare.

08/03/2026

09/02/2026

Really pleased to share I’ve been nominated in four categories at the Climb Awards 2026.

Climb does an important job spotlighting founders, leaders and businesses driving real impact, especially where innovation, inclusion and growth actually meet – so it genuinely means a lot to be recognised by them.

Nominated for:
• Inclusion Champion Award
• Innovation in Health Award – Startup
• Rising Star Award – Startup of the Year
• The Jenny Garrett Global Women in Business Award

This reflects ongoing work around inclusive health innovation, neurodivergent women, and building systems that work in the real world, not just on paper MAGI 🚀

Grateful to be part of the Climb community and the wider conversation about doing business differently

Please vote for MAGI and I ⬇️

🔗 https://www.climb-uk.com/awards/vote

29/01/2026

Why Early Menopause Matters Even More

Early menopause isn’t just about hot flushes or missed periods. It’s a neurological and systemic shift that can have long-term consequences for women’s health.

Research shows early menopause is linked to increased risk of
cardiovascular disease
bone density loss and osteoporosis
cognitive decline and dementia
mood disorders and anxiety

Now add ADHD into that mix.

Emerging evidence suggests women with ADHD may experience earlier menopause than non-ADHD peers, meaning the hormonal drop that affects cognition, mood, focus and emotional regulation can arrive sooner and hit harder.

Oestrogen plays a key role in brain health and dopamine regulation. Dopamine underpins attention, motivation, memory and emotional control the very systems already under strain in ADHD brains. When oestrogen declines early, those systems can destabilise fast.

That’s why so many women say
“I felt like I fell off a cliff”
“I stopped coping overnight”
“I thought I was losing my mind”

This isn’t coincidence.
It’s biology meeting an unsupported neurotype.

Despite this, the intersection of early menopause, ADHD and long-term brain health remains massively understudied and under-recognised. Most women are still told it’s stress, burnout, anxiety or ageing rather than being given hormone-literate, neuro-affirming explanations or support.

This matters because early intervention isn’t just about symptom relief.
It’s about preventative women’s health.
It’s about protecting brains, bodies and futures

Join the NeuroHormone revolution heymagi.com

29/01/2026

I’ve known this for years.
Menopause isn’t just hot flushes and missed periods. It’s a neurological transition.

During perimenopause and menopause, women lose grey matter volume in key brain areas involved in memory, focus, emotional regulation and decision making. At the same time, women are around twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease compared to men.

That’s not coincidence. That’s hormones.

Estrogen is neuroprotective. It supports glucose metabolism in the brain, reduces inflammation, protects synapses, and keeps neural communication efficient. When estrogen drops rapidly, the brain has to rewire fast. Some brains adapt well. Others struggle.

This is why so many women experience
brain fog
memory lapses
anxiety
low mood
executive dysfunction
feeling like they’re “losing themselves”

It’s not weakness. It’s biology.

HRT can help because it partially replaces the estrogen the brain has relied on for decades. For many women, this supports brain energy use, reduces inflammation, and protects cognitive function, especially if started at the right time. It’s not a magic fix and it’s not right for everyone, but the science behind why it helps makes absolute sense.

What frustrates me is this
we wait until women are already struggling before we explain what’s happening

By the time Alzheimer’s is on the radar, the groundwork has been laid over years.

This is why education matters.
This is why early understanding matters.
This is why girls and young women deserve hormone and brain literacy, not dismissal.

If we teach women how their brains and bodies work across the lifespan
if we help neurodivergent women understand their added vulnerability
if we normalise tracking cognition, mood, energy and stress long before crisis

we don’t just reduce suffering
we reduce long term disease risk

This is exactly why I’m building MAGI.
Not to medicalise women.
Not to scare them.
But to give them insight, language, and agency over their own minds.

Informed women make different choices.
Earlier support changes outcomes.
Prevention starts with understanding.

Menopause is not the beginning of the end.
It’s a transition the brain needs support through.

And we should have been talking about this decades ago.