It is hard to believe that I have been living overall for six years. While my first experience was not all that great, finding my current home four years ago proved to be the best decision that I had made. Even though I have struggled for most of those six years, I am closing that chapter and opening a new chapter towards better opportunities.

Looking back, I wish that ere was a lot that I wish I would have learned in the beginning of living on my own. But that is what life is about. I now understand what is important to living on my own and even while enduring many changes, even undergoing a global pandemic taught me to be resilient and strong while understanding the risks of not taking care of my mental health.

I have also learned many things along the way that have molded me into the person that I am today by a lengthy journey of self-discovery and fully understanding my preferences in life while being authentic to myself and others as I have always wanted to be. Understanding who I was while allowing my mental health to be at the forefront of my life was key to allowing me to see that there was more to life than living a life of misery.

It was also understanding that my current home, while at first being frustrated was the better than the first and I needed to be grateful for everything about it instead of always being miserable or ungrateful about the rare opportunity that I had to live where I live. There are so many out there that cannot get the housing opportunity that they need, or they are on lengthy waiting lists. In contrast they could have conflicting issues, of which I do not, therefore I am grateful for my little abode I call home.

I am grateful for everyone who stuck it out with me over the course by supporting me in any way that I needed. It was understanding that I was not always easy or grateful or appreciated the things that I have in life, but eventually, I learned to be grateful and appreciate the support that others were giving me and learn of the need to reach out whenever I am struggling and use my resources whenever I can.

Now that I am well, I am learning that I have to relearn many elements of what it is like to live independently due to being so scattered as a result of being unwell the past several years while defining what and how I want to do things in my life and not letting my fear hold me back from the things that I enjoy doing or even pursuing new opportunities that I would have previously never dreamed of.

I am proud of myself for making it this far in life and not allowing my unregulated behaviors by not caring for myself cause me to end up in the hospital or be involved with the justice system. It is being patient and understanding while being open to new opportunities and seeing that there is potential in living independently and wishing many more years of good luck and longevity in independent living.