When I was a small child I could not talk until I was 6 years old. I stuttered quite terribly and became very self conscious of my voice and myself. I learned to hide out and to avoid any type of communication or social interactions. As I got older, I began to numb my pain with drugs and alcohol. I was then able to put myself out there and not feel the shame I carried around with me. Over the course of my addiction, I overdosed 3 times. I began to feel that maybe there was something for me to do. Some greater plan for my life. This began my journey to learn to love and accept all aspects of who I am. to be okay with whatever I was feeling. I began to realize that to the depth of the pain I was feeling, I also had the capacity to feel that much joy. It was all about making a decision to do so.

You cannot protect yourself from sadness
without protecting yourself from happiness.

-Jonathan Safran Foer