When I was 12 years old, I carried around a small notebook with me. Whenever I saw something weird, sad, happy, or anything really, I would write it down. All of these observations turned into short stories. Some of the stories I composed were awful, but others were unique. I turned my dreams into fiction. I had a completely different life on paper and in my notebooks. I won an Olympic gold medal for figure skating. I was an abandoned island girl that discovered the missing Amelia Earhart. I found ways to turn my sadness from my grandfather’s death into stories that were about him. Thankfully, my imagination hasn’t slowed down with age. Though I have writer's block from time to time, I can always find a way to turn my fiction fantasies into a story.

Writing was not only my favorite pastime but also saved me from depression and anxiety. Writing gave me the outlet I needed when I didn’t want to talk to anyone. Being a sensitive introvert, I spend a lot of time alone. When I feel like I am slipping into a cycle of anxiety or depression, I take out my notebook and I write. I write about what it feels like to have these disorders. I write about things I have been through. I turn struggle into stories that I hope someday can help others who experience similar things.

I encourage you to write when you need someone to talk to. Destroy your writing after if you need to, but having all of your thoughts out on paper can be incredibly beneficial. Take it from the overwhelming number of full notebooks under my bed…. writing is a powerful tool.

Go ahead and give writing a try!