Isn’t it funny that all of the things we go through and experience keep continuing to mold us? As incredibly annoying it is to have to fight, we are becoming stronger through it all. In the last few years (and especially the last few months), I’ve learned about how much I can handle and where my life and career are headed. It’s easy to do a comparison with others and see where we’re still lacking. But it’s even more powerful to do a comparison with yourself and what successes you’ve made in your own journey. Two months ago, maybe you didn’t have coping skills when your symptoms were overwhelming. Now you may have learned something that supports you overcoming them and pushing through. You may have gotten laid off of a job due to the pandemic, and now you’re finding a new career passion that you love even more. A year ago, I wasn’t able to run long distances and was easily frustrated with fitness training. During early 2020, I was able to complete two Spartan races and flip a 200 lb. tire (after dropping it on my knee)! Purpose. It will shift and change as we continue on this journey called life. Keep showing up, take life in stride, and pursue your purpose.

“[We] will no longer watch from the shadows. We can not. We must not. ” –King T’Challa

Kristen Ellis

Kristen has worked in the mental health field since 2013, with a focus on crisis work, substance use services, and bringing a voice to lived experience. Her ambition is to change the way mental health care and recovery is seen and achieved, so to redefine what it means to defeat adversity. She is a storyteller and the editor of HopeInc.com.