As everyone is listing off the plethora of things and people for which he or she is thankful for this Thanksgiving, I remember something that may not come to mind at first for most.

Writing first came to me at a time in my life in which I needed it the most. My junior and senior years of high school were marked by vulnerability, mood swings, confusion, and perhaps most importantly, anxiety. I’ve been an anxious person my whole life – unlike most people, I can’t remember a time in my life where everything felt carefree.

Only about a year ago did I realize that I was constantly stressed as a child. I have no idea where my anxiety came from, but I know that it was always completely unwarranted. As the years went on, and my life slowly started to fill up with rules and responsibilities, my anxiety only heightened.

My junior year of high school, the stress completely blew up in my face and I was left feeling almost helpless. For the next half a year, I would spend my days simply wondering when things would get better. I had no idea of how to take matters into my own hands; I felt out of control.

Everything changed my senior year of high school when I met my mentor. She was a young playwright whose undeniable radiance came as a saving grace for me. She was a substitute teacher at my school (who I now call a friend) who introduced me to screenwriting with the knowledge that I was interested in film.

I instantly fell in love with writing scripts, for I had the ability to project my problems and solutions, my insecurities and certainties, and my fears and fantasies onto a page and into the lives of fictional people. Screenwriting became such a release in ways that words cannot describe, and it truly has become a part of me at this point in my life.

Soon into my screenwriting endeavors, I realized that journaling is a crucial part of the creative process. If there was anything that screenwriting didn’t give me – any part of me that was left unfulfilled – journaling filled that gap. Screenwriting is specific to the stories that I craft, but the possibilities of journaling are infinite.

Having a bad day? Journal. Having a good day? Journal. Feeling conflicted? Need to make a big decision? Hit a bump in a relationship? Journal.

I use journaling as the answer for almost everything in my life, and I constantly advise my friends to do the same. Having all your thoughts in your brain can get confusing and frustrating, but laying it all out on paper can help you achieve clarity.

Whenever people ask me to tell them about myself, or ask about what makes me me, “writing” comes as an answer without hesitation. I can’t even begin to contemplate my life right now without writing. It’s not just a hobby – it’s a lifestyle.

I’ve always loved the film American Beauty, but only recently do I feel that I truly understand the message. It’s a story of appreciating life despite how bad it can get sometimes. It’s a story of being able to find the beauty in everything, whether it is good or bad, big or small.

As Kevin Spacey’s character, Lester Burnham, says at the conclusion of the movie and of his life: “it’s hard to stay mad, when there’s so much beauty in the world.”

Coping with issues in life starts with finding the beauty in your situation. To see the good in something is the first step towards recovery, and writing has taught me this. So regardless of what you’re dealing with in life, and regardless of what your release in this world may be, release yourself with passion.