If I could speak to the younger me—the one hurt by harsh words and fears of exclusion—I would say: You are enough exactly as you are. Your worth isn’t defined by others’ opinions or likes on a screen. You will face hard days, but you will also find moments of joy and people who love you for who you truly are. Keep holding on.

To you, reading these pages as you navigate your own storms, please remember that your story matters. Taking it one day at a time, with patience and kindness to yourself, can create a future filled with hope.