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www.i-am-magazine.comon books, interviews, private clubhousecommunities, and more. I grew in ways that Iwould never have imagined, and that journey iscontinuing today.WellnessReflecting on the success of my F.R.E.S.H Startprogram, which has allowed me to walk awayfrom depression and maintain a life ofhappiness, has increased my passion to helpothers. I believe that much of my dark journeycould have been avoided if I simply had theright strategies for the challenges that I faced.My journey has given me the desire to sharestrategies and tools with one million peoplewho are suffering in silence with their mentalhealth. I believe that communication andwriting are the most important and POWERFULtools to begin a healing journey.It was during the pandemic when muchdiscussion was around the belief that the youthwould be struggling with socialism after theworld opened back up from quarantine. I was inawe at how we were discussing the problem butoffering no solution to this negative outcome. Idecided to be PROACTIVE and created my#smile4wellness movement to help eliminatedepression and suicidal attempts amonghumanity. A SMILE consists of 5 pillars that arebeneficial to our mental wellness. Those pillarsare: SLEEP, MOOD, INNER VOICE, LAUGHTER,AND ENERGY.Many women feel the pressure to care for othersand place others' needs before their own. I havelearned to value putting on my own oxygen maskso that I can not only care for myself but otherstoo. For years, I believed that I was sharing valuewith others, only to realize that I was pouring11