It has taken me a long time to see how valued and respected I am by so many people. In turn, that has driven me to understand the importance of taking care of my mental health every day. Many people look up to me, and I admire them. They value me, and I need their connection because they understand me. I know I have the power to show them I can succeed. This is despite the many struggles in my life.

When I realized that those who greatly valued me had seen me at my worst, I was deeply affected. It had a significant impact on me. I saw how much they still cared. I realized that being remorseful for how I acted in those moments wasn’t enough. I was not my best self then. I had my own personal struggles. I learned the hard way the importance of self-care. Despite this, I noticed how much others, who also struggled, recognized my achievements. They saw it both on my platforms and in real life. I was showing people my resilience. I faced many challenges. I never backed down from any challenge that was brought in front of me.

It has been some ride to get to where I am today. Unfortunately, I nearly threw that away many times over the years. These were senseless acts that I had no business doing. I realized there were so many people rooting for me every day to be my best. I had so much to offer to many people. I was reminded that I could make the world a better place just by being myself. Even though it was hard to see that at first, it motivated me to keep going. It showed me how important it was to be here. It also taught me to take care of myself in the process.

Once I had begun to see how much I attracted others, I stepped up my game. I did things to open myself up more to them. I felt more comfortable toward them because they saw that I had so much to offer. I had been through so much to be where I am today. I had realized that I had to show them how important it was to take care of yourself. No matter how much you want to give up, it just isn’t worth throwing it all away. I nearly did several times over the past several years. I keep going because I know they expect me as the Dustin they’ve come to know at my best. I understand the importance of taking care of myself always. I expect them to do the same.

I hope to grow on a deeper level as time goes on. This growth will help me find the connections I need in this world. I have deeply wanted these connections even though anxiety has often been against me. Now time is against me. I know it is up to me to do what I need to do to be my best. I want to be the amazing person that people have valued and respected.