23/07/2026
It’s ok to unmask, to fall apart to have bad days !
My name is Laura-Jane and I have the privilege of running FreeShop.
One of the hardest things i’ve ever had to do is parent a neurodiverse child while being neurodiverse myself.
When life feels like it’s crashing down around you, when you’re holding on to thin air, and your nervous system is overwhelmed, just getting through the day can feel impossible.
It’s okay to have a bad day.
It’s okay to say, “Enough is enough.”
It’s okay to hide.
It’s okay for people to see your dysregulation.
One of the biggest lessons I’m learning is this: it’s okay not to mask. It’s okay not to be perfect. It’s okay to fail.
Over the last six years of building FreeShop, I’ve been humbled, challenged, inspired and supported by the most incredible community.
I’ve made mistakes. Unintentionally, people have been hurt, and I carry that with me. I’ve stood up for what I believe in. I’ve weathered storms. I’ve lost people. I’ve grown stronger. I’ve held people while their worlds fell apart, and others have held me while mine did too.
Over the last few weeks, my mask has come down.
To me, that felt like failure. My emotions have taken over. My ability to hold it all together seems to have disappeared.
But what has struck me more than anything is this…
As my nervous system has been on constant high alert and my internal control panel has completely malfunctioned, the staff, volunteers and customers at FreeShop have loved me anyway.
They have:
❤️ Hugged me.
❤️ Gently told me when I was wrong.
❤️ Helped my neurodiverse daughter through meltdowns.
❤️ Held me while I cried.
❤️ Sent me home when I needed it.
❤️ Stepped in without being asked.
❤️ Brought me chocolate.
❤️ Cleaned my house.
❤️ Made my children laugh.
❤️ Brought me lunch.
❤️ Made me smile.
❤️ Helped plan birthdays.
❤️ Made me thoughtful gifts.
❤️ Sat with me in my kitchen while I cried.
❤️ Taken on jobs they’d never done before—and absolutely smashed them.
Life is hard.
Being a carer for someone with additional needs is exhausting.
Parenting is hard.
Being a working mum is hard.
Raising children while your heart is breaking can feel impossible.
Trying to be strong when you feel completely empty is like climbing a mountain without oxygen.
But none of us are meant to do this alone.
It really does take a village.
And my village has reminded me that I don’t have to earn love by holding it all together. That I don’t have to be perfect to be worthy of support. That even when I can’t see my own strength, they can.
It takes a village and i’ve struck gold with mine !
Love LJ xx
