A year ago today, I was living my life in fear.

I didn't know where I was going to go after high school,

And I didn't know what I was going to do.

The stress I put on myself to make a choice was overwhelming.

I was stunned to silence when people spoke to me.

It would be as if I had never seen a human being before in my life.

The pressures of a young adult's life crippled me.

I fell into a hole, and I nearly drowned myself with worry, anxiety, and self-loathing.

But today…

I can honestly say I am not much different.

The experiences I had and the relationships I made last year have indeed made a lasting impact on me,

But I still find myself struggling--

Struggling for answers about the future,

Struggling to climb out of that deep hole I dug for myself a year ago.

Yet, I am not exactly the same as I was.

I’m happier.

I’ve allowed my family and friends back into my life.

I'm making an effort to overcome my adversities.

I’m neither completely cured of my distress, nor is it consuming me as before.

But I'm getting better,

and that's what's important.