Writing an About Me should be easy…
I shouldn’t need to study, research, or think too hard about it.
I’m me all the time. Right?
Initially, The Restless Empire was my way of corralling the thoughts, ideas and musings swimming around my head into something slightly more tangible. It was my subtle way of sharing snippets of my mental health journey while showing that depression and anxiety are not the sum total of who I am as a person.
I’m a wife, a sister, a daughter and a friend. I live in Maraetai, Auckland, with my two dogs, one cat and, of course, my husband. An avid reader, prolific daydreamer and personal project half-arser, I work full-time in marketing … and despite my grumbling I do love it.
I started writing because wanted people like me to see that they’re not alone
and remind them that it’s totally okay to be not okay.
Recognising that I found writing to be the ultimate detox, and seeing as every third person was a blogger (when I initially started this), it seemed only fitting that I, too, was a blogger… that was years ago when I first tackled this. Fast-forward! In 2024, at the age of 40, I was diagnosed with ADHD after a friend who was recently diagnosed simply said, “I think you might be too“. And well here I am, writing again.
I had seen the plethora of TikToks (they’re hard to miss), most of which had struck a chord with me, but I had never acted on the nagging feeling these clips were referring to me, because let’s face it, a conversation with your doctor that includes the phrase “I’ve seen on TikTok” feels stupid.
All it took was a nudge from a friend, someone I considered smart enough not to be sucked in by social media hype, and I made an appointment and got the ball rolling. It took someone else seeing precisely what I saw in myself to convince me I wasn’t imagining this.
The definition of restless
I truly find writing cathartic, taking the tangled thoughts that are consuming me and writing them down honestly and unreservedly, it brings me can clarity and unburdens me of emotions and the over-thinking that at times is weighing me down. I believe sharing stories and experiences can help others navigating the same path, and alleviate that sense of isolation many of us can feel and put the control back in our hands, almost like putting it on paper (or in this case screen) instead of carting it around with you takes a weight off your shoulders.
The Restless Empire isn’t just about me, by me or for me … it’s about everyone’s journey, and anyone is welcome to contribute.
Just drop me an email danielle@therestlessempire.com