I've been through a lot. I'm not looking for sympathy or about to tell an emotional story, but I've been through my fair share of challenging times. It wasn't until after I got professional help for some of the issues I was going through, at the age of 15 or so, that I began realizing I could turn these negative experiences into positive ones.
I spent 15 years of my life scrutinizing over how "imperfect" I was because my brain kept telling me that I had to be perfect and nothing short of it. Whatever that means, anyway, because I still really don't know. Grades, body, personality ... they all had to be what my mind considered perfect. Let me tell you, it was not fun. It was torturous to hear these thoughts day in and day out, and I'm thankful to be at a place where I don't buy into these thoughts if they occur.
After receiving help, I began thinking about all of the other people in the world that must be going through difficult times. I started speaking out about my past and realized that my story and insight was giving others hope. The feeling I got from knowing this, and still get, is indescribable. This is how I found my passion, my passion to help others and guide them toward the life they deserve.
I came to figure out that I wanted to be a mental health counselor. It's kind of ironic how I went from being miserable and completely hating my life and myself to having the confidence and courage to be able to help others who may be feeling the way I once felt. Sometimes it's our worst experiences that help shape us into the person we're meant to be. While I was dealing with my struggles, it seemed like it was the most difficult and challenging thing I would ever go through, and to be honest, to this day it has been. However, now that I look back on it, I could not be more grateful for it leading me to my passion. If I had not gone through the experiences that I did, then perhaps I wouldn't have found what I was truly meant to do.
It brings me such a warm and humble feeling inside to know that I could potentially be a part of changing someone's life for the better. I have no doubt that I will eventually be able to help others reach a place where their happiness and well-being is first priority. Not because I am overconfident in my abilities, but because I was once in that dark place and was able to find the way out.
