Why Am I Doing This?

There are many reasons that I want to raise awareness and to try to help others. All of us, whether we admit it or even recognize it in ourselves, have things that we struggle with. Too often, it seems that we, as humans, are fearful to share that we are not “perfect” or “have it all together.”

For twenty years I hid and led a life of anorexia/compulsive exercising/purging; it was horrible. The more that I succeeded and became successful in the different aspects of my life personally, professionally, and athletically, the more I became "an actress". What was on the outside did not match what I was feeling on the inside. But fear of losing friends and fear of being embarrassed stymied my "inside voice" from asking for help. After all, I was a very strong person and successful in many areas...shouldn't I be able to "just do this on my own??"

As a result, I want to encourage everyone to accept others' struggles (even if they do not understand those struggles) and for each individual to realize that no matter how competent or motivated one may be, sometimes it is necessary to ask for help. I believe that if more people started to admit to their fears and struggles, we would find that we have tons of supporters to help us through just about anything!

I want to thank my true friends and my family for helping me to become open about my secret. I live by the following quote:
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined
--Henry David Thoreau