I’ve dreamt of writing a book my whole life. Even before I knew how to write I would dictate stories to my dad to put down onto paper for me. I wanted more than anything to be an author. However, as the years went by, I got distracted from my dream and eventually started to doubt I was even capable of writing a book.

I made multiple attempts to start a book, but there was always something that got in the way- writer’s block, my inner critic, or other competing priorities, to name a few. On multiple occasions, I even decided I’d only tricked myself into thinking I wanted to write a book. I’d say to myself, “Can’t I just be happy with the other things I’ve accomplished?” and I’d distract myself for a while with another project.

In early 2020 I started working with a book coach and finally started making headway on bringing my dream of writing a book to life.

I initially considered writing a self-help book (it seems like the obvious choice amongst small business owners these days), but I knew deep down that I needed to write my own story. It’s not very common for people trained as therapists to divulge the details of their own lives. We’re more in the business of safekeeping others’ secrets rather than sharing our own.

However, the reason I was first attracted to the field of mental health was because of my own struggles with anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder. During some of my most difficult moments in life, I have found my way forward by promising myself that once I got through it I would one day make meaning out of my suffering by sharing my story.

This book is a fulfillment of that promise to myself. In it, I’ll be sharing how living abroad helped me to heal a relationship that I’d struggled with my whole life- my relationship with myself. 

I hope that sharing my story will encourage others to join me in no longer seeing themselves as broken and instead start embracing themselves as the messy humans we ALL are. I also hope that it might inspire readers to go on their own journey- either inside of themselves or around the world- and to feel empowered to share their story as well.

As I continue to work on this book in the upcoming months I’ll be sharing more glimpses of my writing process with you as well as what you’ll find inside the pages of the book.