Before, I think that being an only child made me seek success in order to be put on a pedestal by my parents and praised by my relatives and acquaintances. But I struggled a lot with panic attacks and anxiety. My dad was the only one who really made me pause and ask myself: “Is it worth it? Do you actually like what you’re doing? Why achieve something if you don’t enjoy it?” Those questions were the first time I started to come back to my senses. After that, and after making certain changes in my environment and setting boundaries, I started feeling more like myself more free. I realized I have the potential to create whatever I want, and if I set my mind to it, I can achieve it. I began to believe in myself more and have fewer insecurities.

I think that on my last trip to Disney, I felt it was a great moment to create beautiful memories with my family, even though I was very tired I still wanted to enjoy it 100%.

@Christa Lovas The part that stayed with me the most was honestly just the feeling of being fully present in the moment. Like not thinking about what’s next or what I should be doing, just being there and taking everything in. It felt really grounding in a way I didn’t expect.

Usually it’s when I finish work and I realize I still feel mentally “on,” even though I’ve technically stopped. My body might be home, but my mind is still replaying tasks, conversations, or things I need to do next. It takes me a bit of time to actually unwind and come back into myself.

Mastering my reactions to problems and being more center in my mindset.

@Christa Lovas If something throws me off, I try to pause, breathe, and step away from the noise instead of reacting right away. Even a short walk or sitting quietly helps me reconnect with myself. I’ve noticed I don’t really need to “fix” the feeling immediately I just need space to settle back into it.