A lot of people acknowledge and thank me for my honesty and willingness to open up. In addition to helping myself, I hope that this blog gives others the courage to speak their stories, find their identity, and create a safe space within their own social community.

Even within the past month, I had the unique opportunity to connect to my own wax specialist at my regular salon. I was wearing my compression sleeves that covered my scars on my legs and my arms. She was curious and asked what the sleeves were for. I hesitated. Do I drop a personal bomb on this stranger or be honest? I hate lying to people, even if it’s for my own benefit. I decided to tell the truth. “They’re for covering my scars.” She then inquired, “Oh no, were you involved in an accident?” I hesitated again and let out a small, nervous laugh, “Uh- heh, suicide attempt.” And from that moment on, for the next fifteen minutes of my wax appointment, we had an open and honest conversation of how she related to that feeling and her lifetime struggles. I was honestly surprised. A stranger had never opened up to me about their own struggles because I was open about mine. I’ve had friends that open up ever so slightly to let me know they can relate and that they’re there for me, but never a stranger that I just met. To tell me so openly about her own traumas was so touching. I shared empathy with her and compassion, and just listened. At the end of our session, she thanked me for being so open and honest about my own mental health struggles. The entire encounter made my whole day.

I long to be a safe space for others as I was for her.

Everyone deserves to be happy. Everyone deserves to be accepted. Everyone deserves to connect with others. Everyone deserves a safe space.