Why I’m Rewriting Normal

I didn’t start out thinking I had ADHD. I was reading about it for my son, like a good parent would. But what started as curiosity turned into a journey of living with late-diagnosed ADHD — something I never expected.

But as I kept reading, something started to shift.
A few things felt… oddly familiar. Then a few more. Then a lot more.
The further I went down the rabbit hole, the more I thought:
Hang on — am I the genetic link here?

And because I now know what hyperfocus looks like, I can say this:
What started as research turned into obsession.
It wasn’t a gentle curiosity. It was a full-blown “I need to understand every corner of this and how it relates to my entire life” kind of deep dive.

I used to call that being “in the zone”, and innate skill that was also put to good use in my working life.
Little did I know it had a name, or that it was part of a pattern I’d been living for years.

I was diagnosed with ADHD at 38.

That diagnosis explained a lot — and brought just as many new questions with it.
It didn’t magically fix everything, but it gave me language for things I’d been carrying for most of my life.

I didn’t feel disordered. I felt misunderstood.

The more I learned, the angrier I got. Not just at the late diagnosis, but at the way ADHD is described. The way it’s framed.

“Deficit”? “Disorder”?
Who named this? (Hint: not us.)

We don’t have a deficit of attention. We have attention that works differently.
We’re not disordered. We’re people trying to function in a world built for a completely different kind of brain.

The issue isn’t how we’re wired. It’s that the rules were written without us in mind.

So I started Rewriting Normal

I didn’t start Rewriting Normal because ADHD is a superpower.
I didn’t start it because I’ve figured everything out.
And definitely not because I’m selling you a colour-coded planner that magically fixes executive dysfunction.

I started it because living with ADHD is hard. And being diagnosed late changes everything.

But because I was tired of trying to fix myself to meet a version of “normal” that doesn’t fit.
And I know I’m not the only one.

This blog is how I’m reclaiming a creative side I lost when I was pushed toward maths as a kid — and a way to share what I’ve learned. Because I want more understanding around ADHD — not only for me, but for my kids and the wider ADHD community.

What to expect

I’m still in the thick of it — parenting a neurodivergent kid, managing life with an ADHD brain, figuring out work and rest and why I can’t stop starting projects.

You’ll find personal stories here. Rants. Plain-English guides.
Tools that actually help when your brain is loud and your energy is inconsistent.

You won’t find toxic positivity, aesthetic bullet journals, or advice that assumes the problem is you.

Are you new here? Start Here is a gentle way to get familiar.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing at being an adult, welcome

If you’ve ever Googled “why am I like this” at 2am, welcome.

Or maybe you’re just done with trying to fit in — and ready to understand yourself (or your kid) without the shame. If so, you’re in the right place.

We don’t need to be fixed.
We need space, support, and systems that respect how our brains actually work.

That’s what I’m doing here.
Rewriting Normal, one honest post at a time.

Want to dig deeper? ADHD New Zealand is a great place to start if you’re in Aotearoa and need practical info or local support.