Last month I celebrated 10 years of recovery from my addiction to prescription pills. Truth be told, I celebrated by working. Pouring my all into my business helped remind me of how far I’ve come. I grew up in West Baltimore. I survived the heroin epidemic. I survived poverty. I survived moments of homelessness. I survived racism. I survived society’s expectations of me. I wasn’t expected to see 21 and I made it all the way to 26 and was caught off guard by multiple mental health diagnosis and an addiction I never saw coming. I lived through an accidental overdose and two failed suicide attempts during that period. I prayed tirelessly and worked endlessly to make it out alive. And I did! My rituals saved me. Yoga, meditation, juicing and my evening cup of tea. I keep these prescription bottles in a ziplock bag as a reminder of the progress I’ve made. To go from addict to entrepreneur is a dream I never imagined for myself. I started blending teas to keep my son from the same reality I was fortunate to have survived. His mental health diagnosis was not going to be met with the same challenges as mine. It was a necessity. I know for a fact that God kept me alive for a reason greater than me. I have the privilege to wake up and do what I love for a living. To have created something that I know will help so many navigate the sometimes difficult terrain of mental health. Working as a way to celebrate this milestone was simply my way of showing gratitude to God, the Universe, and anyone that has ever prayed for me, supported me or listened when I was struggling. It was also a for anyone that has ever struggled with addiction, mental health challenges, suicidal ideations or morned the lives of those who didn’t survive. I don’t take a day for granted, so every chance I get to be a voice or use my voice, I do so loudly and with immense intention, as I know, a shared story could be a saved life.