Welcome to Gouldilocks.com: Why I’m Telling My Story— and Creating a Space for Yours
If you’ve landed here, chances are you or some you love is navigating life with a chronic illness, neurodivergence. If so— welcome. You’re not alone here.
My name is Elise, and I created Gouldilocks.com as a space for people like me…people trying to balance invisible illness, real life, and everything in between. I’m a Mom, a Marketing and CX Executive, and someone living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and neurodivergence. I know firsthand what it’s like to live in a body that doesn’t follow the rules, while still trying to show up strong for your family, your career, and your community.
But, to be honest, my story doesn’t start with me— it starts with my Mom.
For most of her life (my childhood), my mother struggled with unexplained health issues that no one could name, understand, or treat properly. She tried her best to push through, and was even able to keep working well into her 60s— but the world medical world didn’t have the right words for what she was experiencing. She passed away from an aortic aneurysm at age 72, a complication now understood to be commonly associated with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Looking back, it’s clear how much she endured without answers, and how much of that legacy shaped my own journey.
Now, as I walk this path myself, I tell my story for both of us.
Life Here Isn’t Always Neat. And I Suppose That’s the Point
I live in Arizona with my wonderful husband, our two amazing kids (my daughter is somehow 18 now, and my son is 10), and a small zoo of pets including two dogs, a chameleon, a crested gecko, a quaker parrot, and yes— a miniature horse.
My husband also lives with a chronic condition (Hashimoto’s) and is vegan, while I’m gluten-free and manage dietary triggers related to Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Between us, we’ve become experts in decoding ingredient lists, modifying recipes, and finding places that actually get it. So, if you’re looking for honest product reviews or allergy-conscious meal inspiration, you’ll probably find that here too.
I also share about:
- Parenting with chronic illness
- How to work and lead professionally while pacing for your health
- Travel tips (yes, it’s possible)
- Tools that actually help on flare days
- The humor and humanity of just trying to keep going with an ounce of grace
And sometimes I’ll just share the messier moments. Because that’s a part of it, too.
Why “Gouldilocks”?
It’s obviously a nod to my last name (Gould) and the story of Goldilocks— not too hot, not too cold. Not too strong, not too fragile. Just somewhere in the middle, trying to find the “just right” in a world that isn’t designed for bodies or brains like ours.
Gouldilocks is intended to be a space to explore that middle ground— the gentleness, truth and maybe a little satire or dark humor when needed.
What You’ll Find Here:
This blog is part lived experience, part practical toolkit, part love letter to the people who just keep going even when it’s hard.
You’ll find:
- Tips for managing EDS, POTS, MCAS, Hashimoto’s, and nuerodivergence
- Real life reflections on working, parenting, and pacing
- Gluten-free and plant-bases recipes that work for our family
- Honest product and place reviews (with a spoonie lens)
- Thoughts on building a life that feels whole, even when your health doesn’t
If you’re newly diagnosed, decades into this, or simply trying to be a better ally to someone you love, this is the place for you.
Come As You Are
I’m not here to fix you or give you five quick tips to a cure or future wellness. I’m here to walk beside you—sharing what I’ve learned, what I’m still figuring out, and what I wish someone had told me sooner.
This is just the beginning of what I hope becomes a connected, supportive community. I’d love for you to be a part of it.