“Ask anyone that knows me well about the kind of person I am, and they’ll tell you that I love banter and encouraging others. That is true. Being joyful and encouraging people around me tend to come naturally for me. The problem is though, when I’m going through a difficult time, I rarely tell others – I keep it to myself. Whereas in public, I smile, have banter and continue to encourage others.

December 2018, during final year of university, I went through a prolonged period of anxiety: restless evenings, constantly overthinking about the future, suicidal thoughts, isolation, and loads of coffee (which I don’t normally drink lol). No one knew. The tipping point came when a friend randomly asked if I was alright, and I told him about what was going on. He decidedly to pray for me and, within a few seconds, I started crying. I can’t remember crying the way I did in that moment. There were people around and I felt embarrassed. But what mattered most to me was that it was a moment of realness and I got to release how I felt. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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The truth is, many of us smile in public while battling a lot in secret. Anxiety, anger, pain, etc. Only you know. Personally, I’ve learnt that even though banter and encouraging others comes naturally for me, when times are hard, all it takes is a moment of realness with a friend. At times, all it takes is a safe space to share. My faith in Jesus has also helped me immensely. Brother don’t suffer alone. There’s freedom and strength in sharing how you feel. There’s freedom in vulnerability. Hope to see you soon at RWP.”