Ever since I was diagnosed with depression and ADHD in high school, I have come to understand that my place in life is to pursue a career in mental health through achieving my major and further education in Psychology. Before my diagnosis I had never considered how prevalent mental illness was, nor how to fight against it. It wasn't until my mental health had deteriorated to a life-threatening state that I sought help and noticed mental health issues all around me. It was as if my personal exposure to mental illness had somehow sparked an influx. I soon learned that mental illness was not a _new problem_. Instead, I had been ignorant to the suffering of those around me until I had to deal with such suffering myself. I was astonished by the pervasiveness of mental illness in society and realized that there were many people either unaware of their illness or unable to seek help. The worst of my mental health issues coincided with my college applications and search for career objectives. While this coincidence helped me find educational and job aspirations, it was important for me to realize that achieving such knowledge did not condone suffering as a means to benefit. The social stigma and lack of understanding about mental illness in society is embarrassingly prevalent and provides more than enough reason for me to learn how to make life better for those who are mentally ill. I received my Associates in Arts with the intention of transferring to NC State to major in Psychology. I had known for a while that I wanted to work in mental health but only knew that I wanted to help those who were again either unaware of their illness or unable to seek help. After searching through the various jobs in psychology, I spoke to my Aunt who is a social worker and discovered that such a career path matched perfectly with my aspirations. I have since decided to minor in social work and pursue my PhD in Psychology to research and discover ways to promote positive mental health habits. Through my ongoing education it is my goal to end the negative connotation associated with mental illness and familiarize/inform people on such issues so they are better prepared to deal with mental illnesses should they ever arise. If I succeed, I hope that my story will become a much less common one.

Ever since I was diagnosed with depression and ADHD in high school, I have come to understand that my place in life is to pursue a career in mental health through achieving my major and further education in Psychology. Before my diagnosis I had never considered how prevalent mental illness was, nor how to fight against it. It wasn't until my mental health had deteriorated to a life-threatening state that I sought help and noticed mental health issues all around me. It was as if my personal exposure to mental illness had somehow sparked an influx. I soon learned that mental illness was not a new problem. Instead, I had been ignorant to the suffering of those around me until I had to deal with such suffering myself. I was astonished by the pervasiveness of mental illness in society and realized that there were many people either unaware of their illness or unable to seek help. The worst of my mental health issues coincided with my college applications and search for career objectives. While this coincidence helped me find educational and job aspirations, it was important for me to realize that achieving such knowledge did not condone suffering as a means to benefit. The social stigma and lack of understanding about mental illness in society is embarrassingly prevalent and provides more than enough reason for me to learn how to make life better for those who are mentally ill. I received my Associates in Arts with the intention of transferring to NC State to major in Psychology. I had known for a while that I wanted to work in mental health but only knew that I wanted to help those who were again either unaware of their illness or unable to seek help. After searching through the various jobs in psychology, I spoke to my Aunt who is a social worker and discovered that such a career path matched perfectly with my aspirations. I have since decided to minor in social work and pursue my PhD in Psychology to research and discover ways to promote positive mental health habits. Through my ongoing education it is my goal to end the negative connotation associated with mental illness and familiarize/inform people on such issues so they are better prepared to deal with mental illnesses should they ever arise. If I succeed, I hope that my story will become a much less common one.

The beginning of my mental health journey was around my Sophomore year of high school. I had just quit gymnastics, a sport I had loved and dedicated five days a week of my life to for ten years. My decision to quit was fueled by a number of negative life events that seemed to happen all at once that year, and came from a place of shame and fear. After quitting, I felt empty and lost. Gymnastics had been my identity, and without it, it was as though my existence was meaningless, as if a piece of myself had left and couldn't be filled. I became severely depressed and developed a deep hatred for myself and my body in response to the emptiness I felt. I wasn't diagnosed until two years later after my situation became life-threatening. During my senior year, I began to see a therapist who helped me rekindle my idea of identity through something positive. I had always enjoyed illustration and creative processes in general, but because of how time-consuming competitive gymnastics was, I never had a chance to fully delve into the craft. Luckily, the year I started therapy coincided with my first high-level art class, IB Visual Arts. I am forever thankful I was introduced to this class, and my teacher specifically, during this time of my life. If I had taken the class any earlier, I don't think I would have recognized the joy I received from art and how important that joy really was for me. The freedom I had to explore art and what it meant to me was truly life changing. I found an outlet to express all of my thoughts, both positive and negative. I confronted my body image issues, something I was afraid to do even in therapy, through an assignment from class. I experimented with different mediums, an experience I never even dreamed of after how busy I typically was due to gymnastics. Slowly, I built a new identity and love through art. Today I am still fighting an uphill battle against my depression, but without art I don't think I would be where I am today. The hopelessness and lack of purpose I felt so many years ago was crippling; it's a miracle I even made it to my senior year at all. Whenever I am feeling down, or empty, I now turn to art. Expressing myself, and feeling as if I can leave something behind that is lasting and meaningful, will forever make me indebted to the craft.

Any child who grew up in the early 2000's can tell you just how wonderful Avatar the Last Airbender is. For me, the show was much more than a well-written children's series. It wasn't until I rewatched it with a friend that I realized so many of my personal values stemmed from the show. Aang's pacifism, Katara's love, Sokka's humor and versatility, and Toph's perseverance are all reflected in my life. My first drawings were of the show, introducing me to my passion for art. My love for gymnastics was sparked by my attempts at imitating Aang, and after competing for ten years, I'm now a gymnastics coach. In many ways Avatar is a foundation from which I've built myself. I'm forever grateful to the creators for pouring such love and joy into the show; I'm sure their work has and will continue to change more lives than just mine.

The beginning of my mental health journey was around my Sophomore year of high school. I had just quit gymnastics, a sport I had loved and dedicated five days a week of my life to for ten years. My decision to quit was fueled by a number of negative life events that seemed to happen all at once that year, and came from a place of shame and fear. After quitting, I felt empty and lost. Gymnastics had been my identity, and without it, it was as though my existence was meaningless, as if a piece of myself had left and couldn't be filled. I became severely depressed and developed a deep hatred for myself and my body in response to the emptiness I felt. I wasn't diagnosed until two years later after my situation became life-threatening. During my senior year, I began to see a therapist who helped me rekindle my idea of identity through something positive. I had always enjoyed illustration and creative processes in general, but because of how time-consuming competitive gymnastics was, I never had a chance to fully delve into the craft. Luckily, the year I started therapy coincided with my first high-level art class, IB Visual Arts. I am forever thankful I was introduced to this class, and my teacher specifically, during this time of my life. If I had taken the class any earlier, I don't think I would have recognized the joy I received from art and how important that joy really was for me. The freedom I had to explore art and what it meant to me was truly life changing. I found an outlet to express all of my thoughts, both positive and negative. I confronted my body image issues, something I was afraid to do even in therapy, through an assignment from class. I experimented with different mediums, an experience I never even dreamed of after how busy I typically was due to gymnastics. Slowly, I built a new identity and love through art. Today I am still fighting an uphill battle against my depression, but without art I don't think I would be where I am today. The hopelessness and lack of purpose I felt so many years ago was crippling; it's a miracle I even made it to my senior year at all. Whenever I am feeling down, or empty, I now turn to art. Expressing myself, and feeling as if I can leave something behind that is lasting and meaningful, will forever make me indebted to the craft.

To me, being bold is giving my all to be the best coach I can be. To be a bold and open-minded coach gives my gymnasts the best opportunity to enjoy and better themselves through a sport we are each passionate for. Every day I walk into the gym I push both myself and my girls to be the boldest version of ourselves and to be proud of it.