I was diagnosed with depression when I was 13-years-old. At the time, I didn’t have the words to explain what I was feeling. All I knew was that the world felt heavier for me than it seemed for others. One day on the way to school I started to cry and I could not stop. It was like a neverending stream had been opened up and could not be closed. That was when my mother finally took me to see a psychologist and I first heard the term Clinical Depression as attributed to me personally. I carried the weight of that diagnosis for years, often pushing myself through life on sheer willpower alone.

For two decades, I tried to manage it in the only way I knew how; by staying busy, focusing on others, and ignoring my own needs. I thought if I could just keep going, keep achieving, keep taking care of everyone else, maybe that emptiness would fade. But it never did. Instead I found myself exhausted, overwhelmed, and still searching for something to make me feel whole.

It wasn’t until I truly learned about self-care – real, intentional self-care – that things began to shift. And I don’t mean the surface-level kind, like treating yourself to a special coffee (thought that can be nice). I mean the kind that forces you to slow down and ask: What do I actually need? What fills me up? What allows me to show up as my best self?

For me, self-care became a path to peace. It gave me permission to rest, to set boundaries, and to nurture my own well-being without guilt. It taught me that taking care of myself wasn’t selfish – it was essential. And the more I embraced it, the more I realized I wanted to help others do the same.

That’s why I started Self-Care Collective. I know what it’s like to feel lost in the chaos of life, to put yourself last, to wonder if things will ever feel lighter. But I also know that self-care – when done with intention – can be a way forward. My goal is to help others discover self-care practices that fit their lives, that feel natural, and that truly make a difference.

If you’re tired of feeling drained and ready to build self-care into your life in a way that works for you, I’d love to walk this journey with you. Because you deserve to feel at peace, too.

If this resonates with you please leave a comment and tell me about your experience with mental health struggles, self-care, mindset growth, or anything else that really hit home. I welcome you to the Self-Care Collective community. It is my hope that we can all continue to grow together.