A well-known saying is health is your wealth. Many people only think about their physical health without thinking of their minds. The truth is the brain is the control center of your body. Nothing in the body works as it should without the mind performing at total capacity. This is why mental health is essential. Without your mental health being the best it can be, you are living in this world without truly living. I am someone who has battled mental health challenges for years. When I was young, I dealt with depression after getting sick. I felt like I was carrying the world's weight during this time. There were many times when the doctor's appointments were only discouraging. Being on medication and told I could never get better only worsened things. After beginning high school in a new state, I began to also deal with anxiety. Having the constant pressures of life made me reach my breaking point. Soon afterward, I decided I could not handle it alone, so I asked for help. With this help, I began to understand that my feelings were normal. While it was expected, it could lead to my destruction if I chose to keep dealing with it alone. I took the lesson to heart and decided to push through my feelings to improve myself. In college, I began to go to therapy. Throughout this time, I learned how to cope with depression and anxiety. Being active is the best way to deal with my emotions. Exercising helps the mind and the body become in sync with one another. I have made exercise a part of my daily routine. Another thing I have learned is how to be alright with taking care of myself even though I have a lot of responsibilities. Taking care of myself is one of the most essential tasks when dealing with mental health. Currently, I still go to therapy so that I can better work on myself. Another thing that helps me is to talk with a close friend. When things seem hectic, I have a friend I go to for help. We encourage each other to be the best we can be. Because of the battles I have faced, I can help others get the advice and encouragement they need. I can relate to others because of what I have gone through and what I am going through now. I am never stopping to grow. I chose to get better every day by opening up.

When I was five years old, I became sick with a disease that affected my joints. My parents discovered something was wrong when I was not as energetic as children usually are. Oftentimes, I was extremely tired after doing physical activities. They scheduled a doctor’s appointment where they diagnosed me with dermatomyositis. I began to have physical therapy multiple times a week. I also had doctor’s appointments every couple of months. During the early stages of this, I had trouble doing what children were doing. I could barely get off the floor by myself. Majority of the time I had to use a chair or another steady object for support. Also, I had trouble running without getting tired. The medication the doctor put me on had me to gain a lot of weight and lose my hair. Because of everything going on, I dealt with a lot of mental challenges. Oftentimes, I was depressed. I wanted to know and understand why all of this was happening. Seeing everyone around me doing things I couldn’t do made me feel alone. I always felt like I was different than the others because of what I was going through. I felt like the whole world was moving around me and I was standing there alone with all my problems. It was as if no one really understood what I was going through. I not only felt alone, I felt like I was carrying a huge weight. One day in a doctor’s appointment, the doctor suggested I start doing ballet to help with my joints. A few months later I began ballet and loved it. Over time, my joints improved and I was able to do things I never thought was possible. I began to do physical activities without getting tired. I could get off the flor by myself without help and participate in other physical activities better than I could before. Not only did my health get better, but through ballet I found something I loved. It is a part of me so much that it is impossible to let it go. Through this obstacle, I learned how to persevere through hard times. It helped me understand how strong I really am and how much there is within me to discover. As of today, my joints are better and I am continuously growing. I might not be where o want to be but the more I push through the better my chances are of getting there. I do still deal with depression sometimes but knowing what I have overcome ensures me that everything will be alright. Ballet taught me to keep going and keep working hard. Unfortunately, I had to stop taking ballet many years ago. However, I have never stopped dancing. Through this experience I have learned many life lessons. Now, I understand that I am stronger than I think I am. Everything is possible if I work for it and don’t give up. I am still using what I have learned at an early age.