My adult life has been very messy. I fell into depression and OCD in college whilst pursuing my dream of being a music producer. I had no context for what happened to me and struggled against my various issues for over two decades, at times feeling completely lost. Throughout, I couldn't completely subscribe to the Western medical model of mental illness (except when I felt truly desperate). I learned the hard way what happens when you define yourself as ill and then shape your life around the pursuit of healing. I knew the only way forward was to turn my back on what was wrong and lean into what I wanted, how I wanted to feel, and who I wanted to be. Along the way, I discovered an intuitive knack for discerning the greatness in others. I was able to cut through the harmful stories they told themselves in order to stay safe and small. It took some time to apply these same tools to myself, but I guess that's the way it goes.