Lately, I've realised I don't just have to think about being Alice.

I have to think about several different versions of me.

✨ What does autistic Alice need today?

✨ What does ADHD Alice need?

✨ What happens when those two are pulling in different directions?

✨ And now... what does pregnant Alice need?

It's not just about balancing work, motherhood, relationships, friendships or running a business. It's about balancing different neurotypes, different needs and different capacities within the same brain and body.

Some days my autistic brain is craving quiet, order and predictability.

At the very same time, my ADHD brain is craving novelty, movement and stimulation.

Then pregnancy joins the conversation. My body is growing a human, my medication only supports me for part of the day (roughly 9am–3pm), my energy is lower, and my nervous system has less capacity than it used to.

Yet somewhere in my mind, I still expect myself to perform at 150%.

To grow Bold Minds ND.

To freelance.

To be present for my toddler.

To nurture my relationship.

To keep on top of the house.

To see friends.

To exercise.

To create content.

To answer emails.

To grow another tiny human.

The maths simply doesn't add up.

If I realistically have around 60% capacity right now, expecting 150% is only ever going to leave me feeling like I've failed.

I'm learning that capacity isn't fixed. It changes with life, health, hormones, medication, sleep, stress, sensory load and seasons.

Acceptance doesn't mean giving up.

It means adjusting expectations to match reality, rather than constantly measuring yourself against a version of you that simply doesn't exist right now.

I know so many neurodivergent people who carry this invisible mental load; constantly trying to negotiate between different needs within themselves while also meeting the expectations of the world around them.

Maybe the question isn't...

"How can I do more?"

Maybe it's...

"What does this version of me need today?"

I'd love to know; do you ever feel like you're managing different versions of yourself depending on your needs, capacity or stage of life?