I never had the chance to go to college like most people. And I really couldn’t see a future for myself. There was a long time when I couldn’t see the point of living. My days blurred together, filled with the weight of alcoholism, an eating disorder, and a mind that wouldn’t stop telling me to give up because there’s no way I’d live long enough to have a future. Every breath felt heavy. Every morning felt like another battle I didn’t have the strength to fight.
When I landed in treatment, I didn’t think it would make a difference. I was empty, angry, and tired. But someone told me I didn’t need to fix everything at once – that I just needed to take one small step at a time. At first, that step was simply getting out of bed and showing up. Then it became speaking honestly about my pain, facing my past, and making tiny choices that began to add up. Over time, those small steps built into something much bigger. I began to see changes in how I thought, how I treated myself, and what I believed was possible for my future.
Today, I’m sober, I’m healing, and I’m finally chasing a dream I never thought was possible – becoming a nurse. I want to be able to help others the way people once helped me. I want to be the person who offers hope when someone feels like giving up, because I know what it’s like to be in that painful place. Looking back, I realize those tiny actions in the beginning were the start of everything. Each small step led me here, to a place where I’m not just surviving, but truly living and working towards a future I never thought I’d have. One filled with purpose, hope, and the chance to give back. And it all began with one small step at a time.
~LO
