It’s hard to recognize in the moment when you're facing defeat that you actually are gaining strength. You’re learning something by failing. Gaining knowledge on how to make something better the next time, how to overcome a mental hurdle, or how to push through tough times.

Everything we go through in life has a purpose. There’s a reason you lost your job, a significant other left you, you struggle with depression, or so many other things. While all these things are extremely tough in the moment, they are also giving you the building blocks to become stronger than you once were.

Getting the courage to rise up from the bottom is one of the bravest things I think you can do in life.

As someone who got knocked down to the lowest point in my life, ready to end it, I’ve realized I had to get to that point of weakness to realize I’m so much stronger.

I picked myself back up slowly, piece by piece, put things back together and built a better me. I learned that my head was filled with dark lies, I learned all I could through therapy about the way my brain worked, about how I dealt with loss, how to appropriately manage my emotions, and triggers that could send me spiraling backward.

When I made the choice to get sober, I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I would miss all the social aspects, miss the taste, and most of all I was scared people would think I am a loser for no longer drinking at the age of 25.

My strength came from realizing I never wanted to feel that darkness again. I knew I could never go back there, because the next time I would probably not come back. I made a choice to be a better me. I learned to love myself again. To do what I needed to be happy.

We all have pieces in our lives we are trying to pick up and put back together. Find the strength in the brokenness. Pretty sure I was meant to go through things early in my life, because I am meant to be here telling you these stories, and making this art for the next person that needs help picking up the pieces.

-Artist: Ben Vansledright