Have you encountered it? That look in someone’s eyes who is fascinated about the world around them, eager to experience it. The look when nothing is too difficult to overcome, nothing too overwhelming to divert their joy.

It’s often the look that a child has. I know I did when I was that age. 

I was quiet yet attentive as a young girl, eyes wide open to everything around me. I was so hopeful about my future and all that it would entail.

And then, at age nineteen, I lost that perspective when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. While there have been times of trial, in the years since then, I’ve discovered how to have a thriving and beautiful life despite my illness. Now knowing that it is in no way my identity, I manage it and provide support to others.

It’s funny, the second I open my mouth about my struggles, it opens the door for others to be vocal about the fact that they’ve been there or know someone else with mental health issues. It’s far more prevalent than we know. Authenticity and transparency are desperately needed in a world where mental illness is so common, yet so misunderstood. 

We need voices that pierce the darkness and provide hope to overcome. It’s critical to know that a seemingly destructive illness can be manageable with the right tools and support. I want to be a resource for those that have been affected by mental illness, or any adversity for that matter. I want perception to change.

That’s what this blog is for. To share stories, hear a variety of voices, and provide truth and grace that comes from a reliance on God and others. The hard stuff will inevitably be discussed here, but my hope is that this might be the small amount of light that we need to overcome even the greatest amount of darkness. The desire is that despite our past or present hardships, we can flourish. We can choose to see the beauty that life has to offer, be bold with our stories, and experience the breakthroughs. We can remain bright-eyed.