In states like Florida, California, and Texas, the insurance crisis highlights a significant challenge in balancing risk, affordability, and profitability for homeowners, insurers, and agencies. This is a multi-faceted issue that involves different socioeconomic considerations as it tends to affect minorities and single parents. This issue can be addressed through proactive risk-management strategies as well as regulatory reforms. These strategies reduce the risk of property damage and manage existing risks, therefore keeping insurance premiums low. The first thing you can do is emphasize funding and support from the local government to fix existing issues in infrastructure. For example, the government should construct and maintain levees, seawalls and other floodgates at an acceptable level. If those structures are in good working order, then there would be no need to file a claim with insurance for damages. This is because there is no damage to fix in the first place! This is particularly helpful in flood-prone places or coastal areas. It would also be beneficial to create specific structures in response to disasters like hurricane shelters. There are plenty of benefits to improved infrastructure. For example, reduced property damage minimizes the physical toll of disasters. It also minimizes the financial toll as well. A plus to this would be increased public safety due to fixed flood gates and better roads that can handle high winds and floods. By investing in robust community infrastructure, local governments can play a key role in creating safer environments while fostering partnerships with insurance companies and homeowners. Finally, another way to solve the insurance crisis would be to have the federal government help homeowners in those states. For example, the government can provide financial assistance to those who are struggling to pay deductibles on claims. This can also help homeowners who are struggling to find insurance carriers that will ensure them. The government can provide funding or incentives to insurance companies so that they are more likely to take on clients in those states. That way, other insurance companies are stopped from hiking up unaffordable prices. Addressing the insurance crisis is a multi-faceted issue with a comprehensive approach. Supporting the local government's effort to build better infrastructure is a great proactive strategy. Considering a risk-management strategy such as the federal government to giving funding to homeowners would help offset some of those costs seen by shady insurance companies. These two approaches will combat unaffordable prices and help homeowners afford insurance in coastal areas and high-flood areas.

My journey into the mental health field has been a deeply personal one to me. I currently work in behavioral health and see a handful of patients for Applied Behavior Analysis(ABA) therapy. Currently, I plan to finish my bachelors degree in Psychology so I can pursue a masters in counseling. I am also someone who can personally relate to future patients in the field; I was diagnosed with schizophrenia after a particularly bad mental health episode when I was younger. At the time I used street drugs to self-medicate the symptoms, which further complicated my illness by throwing addiction into the mix. My dedication to get treated and stay clean has shaped me into who I am today. I plan on using my lived experiences to promote more compassion and a deeper understanding of the field. People without lived experience in the field may not know how their patients are really feeling. Overcoming addiction is difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. Patients deserve understanding and compassion. There are people in the field that may need an extra push to provide that compassion, and collaborating with someone with mental illness could be beneficial. Because of my past struggles, I understand how isolating mental illness and addiction can be at times, which is why its my mission to ensure that others feel heard and supported. I can be the advocate I needed when I was at my lowest. Patients also may feel as though someone who has been through addiction will be less likely to judge them. When it comes to other people in the field, my lived experience may provide valuable education as well. I can teach other staff members how to approach those in active addiction, and what language to use. I can also use my position to create resources. For example, I could host workshops that combat mental health misinformation and encourage a positive view of patients. I could also create physical materials like pamphlets in my office space. I am experienced with the process so I think about what information I needed when I first went into treatment. I believe my experience in the field is valuable. I am dedicated and compassionate and I never hesitate to fight for my patients. I believe I can provide valuable insight and empathy to those struggling with mental illness and addiction. I am passionate about having a career where I can use my lived experience.

"To “give style” to one’s character—a great and rare art! It is practiced by those who survey all the strengths and weaknesses of their nature and then fit them into an artistic plan until every one of them appears as art and reason and even weaknesses delight the eye. Here a large mass of second nature has been added; there a piece of original nature has been removed—both times through long practice and daily work at it. Here the ugly that could not be removed is concealed; there it has been reinterpreted and made sublime (The Gay Science 290)." -Friedrich Nietzsche In this paragraph, Nietzsche beautifully explains the importance of crafting an authentic sense of self and analyzes the factors contributing to personal “style”. According to Nietzsche, introspection into yourself is more or less an art form. He also points out that doing so is rare. Looking deep inside of ourselves requires a lot of thought about what kind of person we wish to be. Nietzsche goes on to claim that despite uncontrollable elements, a person must analyze their own strengths and weaknesses and then consciously integrate them into their soul. In particular, flaws are not something to be ashamed of, rather something that should be celebrated as a bigger, artistic vision. If someone struggles with jealousy, the person can learn to reframe their thoughts about it to be positive. Such thoughts could be “I am protective of my feelings and loved ones” and can be more fine tuned to include better qualities in the same way. In a deeper analysis, Nietzsche explores “innate traits”, or traits people are born with, work in accordance with “second traits”. Second traits refer to traits that are cultivated through practice and conscious development, whereas innate traits are traits that were acquired at birth. These traits can be practiced through self-discipline, compassion, empathy, and moral character. These traits contribute to a person’s unique “style”. Intentionally crafting your personality requires a lot of self-analysis. What kind of person do you wish to put forward into the world? Self-awareness is truly a work of art. Self-awareness is the process of evaluating and examining your own thoughts, behaviors, and motivation to better understand what drives you. For example, one may look inside themselves and decide that they want to be a person who displays compassion and patience. It requires balance to effectively integrate the desired parts to contribute to a good moral character. Furthermore, Nietzsche explains that flaws can be transformed from weaknesses to strengths. It is possible to reframe unpleasant things as beautiful or even noble. For example, Van Gogh suffered from mental illness for much of his life. However, his turmoil was translated into beautiful works of art. Rather than allowing the mental illness to be purely destructive, he channeled it into his work. To this day, Van Gogh has some of the most compelling artwork in the world. However, there are elements that cannot be controlled or reframed. The “ugliness” Nietzsche says is being concealed are conflicts such as personal problems, societal problems and other urges or impulses that take a person away from their desired sense of self. The ugly things are hidden away because it is normal to hide from things you cannot change or control. These things can be turned into strengths or made into features that enhance individuality as a whole. In conclusion, the key theme to Nietzsche’s note is to build character as if it were an artistic project. This approach acknowledges that there are positives and negatives to self-improvement. Although there are elements out of our control, he encourages the reader to not become a passive by-stander in terms of building character. One should aim for an integrated and aesthetically pleasing way of life.