As I slowly moved into a healthier mindset as a young adult, I began to learn that the best way to connect with people struggling with the same challenges was to open up, to tell my story and to expose my past-even if it meant showing some vulnerability and weakness. This process allowed me to gain trust in others, as others also started trusting me. Trust is an essential component of the healing process. When you trust the right people, those that lookout for your well-being, you are no longer alone in the universe.

I have found that telling my story on stage comes at a cost of feeling weak, vulnerable, criticized, ridiculed and exposed but the outcome of inspiring others, creating a healing process, and building human connection is worth the sacrifice. Hurt people, hurt people and healed people, heal people. You never know, telling ones stories may even change the world by inspiring others to start the individual and collective healing process.

The work of supporting the lives of young people who experience struggle has allowed me to go from sleepless nights to more fruitful days. This is what I have dedicated my professional career to. To paraphrase the writer, David Viscott, the purpose of life is to discover your gift and the meaning of life is to give it away. I am living my purpose-to leverage resources for young people growing up far-from-opportunity-and I hope this book helps readers get one step closer to finding and sharing their own gifts.