“I still battle with depression, anxiety, and PTSD, but I have learned healthy ways to cope. I have made friends with these demons — I hold their hands, I know what awakens them, and what calms them.”

“I want to spark hope in the hearts of the people I reach, and I want to show them that it IS possible to overcome (what feels like) the impossible.”

“I have faced things that I thought would destroy me. My voice is important and if I allow my words to carry I can be a powerful force in the world.”

“I’ve survived all of the days I thought I wouldn’t. I can tell you I will be here for another birthday and another Christmas, when a couple weeks ago I couldn’t tell you if I’d be here another minute.”

“I gathered the pieces. I tried to run. I came back, I showed up. There is still so much work to do. But I am here, and I didn’t always believe I would be. And I feel more alive today than I ever have.”

“To anyone who is struggling with an eating disorder — you deserve to take up space. Your body has worked its entire life to keep you alive.”

“My journey may not be pretty, but it has molded me into the person still standing here today.”

“This is as much me telling my story as it is thanking those who have made it possible for me to have the courage and strength to speak it.”

“The right to peace in my life does not have to be earned, and I will tell myself as many times as is necessary.”