While mental illness is at times challenging to navigate, I would like the public to know that this journey comes with its own unique sense of beauty amid the uncertainties. In my pursuit to better understand my conditions and their impacts on my life through artistic expression— I have gained a greater capacity for empathy and compassion towards others. My depression and anxiety have also allowed me to see value of humanity, both on a personal level and as part of a collective — to recognize that everyone is fighting their own inner battles, and that we are not alone in our struggles. Every big feeling that I’ve ever felt has also been felt by someone else, and that is what it means to be alive.