Hi I’m Mary!

I want you to have MORE FUN!

Like many people, my story starts with being different. But my difference wasn’t the kind that gets celebrated—it was the kind people pointed out or ignored, depending on the day.

On the outside, I was “gifted.” Intelligent. Capable. But inside my home, my sensitivity and mental health struggles were neglected. Outside my home, they were noticed but misunderstood. Neither response gave me the support I needed—just more pressure, confusion, and loneliness.

As a child, I took on responsibilities no kid should carry. My mind was filled with chaos, and my environment mirrored it. I felt like I was always walking into a storm. There were no umbrellas—just wind.

Without tools, language, or support, my brain tried to self-soothe in whatever ways it could. That’s how the list of “disorders” started. Autism. OCD. Tourette’s. Panic attacks. Eating disorders. Self-harm. Addiction. The list grew, not because I was broken, but because I was trying to survive.

I wanted control. So I grabbed it—however I could.

And I spiraled.

In my early twenties, I was waking up in fields without my shoes. Not from drinking—but from dissociative fugue. I was losing time, losing my mind, and losing any semblance of safety. That’s when I realized something had to change. It couldn’t keep going like this.

The Shift

My first step toward healing was Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I was terrified. OCD had been running my life with invisible rules and rituals. Therapy felt like walking directly into the fire. But I did it anyway.

Every session, every worksheet, every terrifying moment of exposure therapy was like cracking open a window. Eventually, I felt air coming in. And for the first time in my life, I had space.

I wasn’t consumed by counting, spinning, or avoiding sidewalk cracks. I wasn’t spending every minute managing symptoms. I had time—and I didn’t know what to do with it.

So I started creating.

I went back to what I loved as a kid—stickers, crafts, silly photos, squishy textures. I joined a yarnbombing contest, knit a cozy for a parking meter, and felt… alive. I didn’t just have relief. I had joy.

Joy Isn’t Optional—It’s Vital

That moment was my entry point into Merriment Making.

I realized that even at my worst, I had always been reaching for joy. I saw faces in clouds. I made goody bags. I dressed like a living cartoon. Even when I couldn’t participate in joy, I wanted it. I believed in it.

Doctors later told me they’d never seen someone try as hard as I did to get better. I had tried every medicine, every type of therapy, every coping skill. And after 17 years of trying, I found something that finally helped me lift the veil: TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation).

That treatment saved my life. It gave me clarity I didn’t know was possible. Not everyone needs a magnet tapped on their head every day for two months. But I did. And it worked.

The Lemonade Philosophy

I believe we’re all given lemons. Some of us get the bumpy, weird-shaped ones. Some of us grow our trees in soil that’s been depleted for generations. But we can still make lemonade.

Sometimes we need more sugar. Sometimes it becomes hibiscus lemonade. Sometimes we turn it into lemon lollipops. But none of it is wasted. Your weird lemons still have value.

We are weird lemons in a world made for apples. But weird isn’t wrong. It’s just different. I’m here to help you thrive as you are, not after you change who you are.

My Credentials (and Conditions)

I’ve been running Uncustomary since 2013, after five years working in psychiatric rehab, where I created course curriculums for 100+ adults with mental illness. I have two degrees in psychology. I’ve coached people for a decade, spoken internationally, and written books that have changed lives.

But just as importantly? I’m also living this. Every day.

Here’s the real deal list:

Diagnosed Mental + Neurological Conditions:

Autism
OCD
Tourette Syndrome
C-PTSD
Bipolar I
ADHD
Panic Attack Disorder
Trichotillomania
Dissociative Fugue
Automatonophobia (phobia of animatronics)
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Psychological Reactance
Misophonia
Synesthesia
Insomnia

History Of:

Substance Abuse Disorder
Self-Harm
Suicidal Ideation + Attempts
Eating Disorders (Anorexia + Binge Eating)
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Kleptomania

Physical Conditions:

PCOS
Endometriosis
Thunderclap Migraines
Scoliosis
Arthritis
Tendinitis
Hole in my septum
Vertigo
LAMN (a rare tumor)
Need glasses

And yet—I am here. With joy in my heart and glitter on my shoes.

Self-Improvement Isn’t Linear. It’s Consistent.

I’ve had so many moments where I wanted to give up. Where it felt like too much. Where I questioned my worth, my work, my path.

But I kept choosing joy. Kept choosing healing. Kept choosing something. And those consistent choices built a life. Not a perfect life—but a beautiful, full, joyful one.

And now I help other people do the same.

🕊 What I Believe

You don’t need to be fixed. You need to feel supported.
Play and pleasure are just as healing as meditation.
We don’t all bloom on the same timeline.
There’s no “one moment” that changes everything—but a thousand tiny ones that do.
You’re not behind. You’re not broken. You’re not too much.
Joy is the remedy for stress. And we’ve had enough stress.
You can be both healing and happy. Sad and silly. You can be all of it.

💛 Why Positive Pulse Exists

Positive Pulse is a free community where you’ll find resources, support, and the reminder that you matter. It’s where we take tiny, powerful steps back to joy—together.

This is not about perfection. It’s about practice. It’s about pleasure. It’s about play.

Because you have to feel good to do good—and we’ve got good to do.

I’m Mary “Uncustomary” England. I’m a published author, life coach, event speaker, podcaster, and team building facilitator. I have two degrees in Psychology. I’ve run my own business since 2013, where I created my own job title: Merriment Maker.

Let’s play together.