I'm not perfect. And I'm definitely not a Saint. But what I am, is trying to be a better human. I'm trying to wake up every day and choose the light; to lift others up, to be open about my struggles and share the tools that help me grow along the way.

I wasn’t expecting to share this part of my story today. It’s not often that I think or talk about this part of my life anymore as I’ve done a lot of work to move past it. But, there are moments when that old conditioning is activated, and I get triggered. In fact, by typing this out and putting myself in that headspace, I could feel the familiar pulls of trauma, and I had to remind myself to use the tools I so often talk about. As I meditated on what it means to heal and grow in the present moment, the words poured out of me. Working to break free of living in my survival brain has been a process, and it’s one I'm committed to continuing.

In 2021, I committed to incorporating a yoga routine into my life. That decision became an integral part of my healing and an outlet for reconnecting with myself as I navigated grief, anxiety, depression, new beginnings, endings, and every moment in between. Looking ahead to 2022, hope, joy and peace fill my soul.

After my last article focusing on mental health, my partner gave me some constructive criticism. “I liked your posts. They were good, they weren’t fake,” he said one evening last month. “Maybe I’m biased, but I think you should be more open about your struggles.”

Through my years of therapy and the copious amounts of self-help books and videos I’ve consumed, the piece of advice that I am constantly coming back to is to stay in the present. Whenever I feel the familiar knot of anxiety in my solar plexus or recognize a stream of negative thoughts, I know that I’ve drifted from the present moment, and it’s time to re-center and reassess my emotions.

On July 10, 2023, retired world language instructor Lisa Wells will embark on her seventh trip abroad in partnership with an American-based travel company, Passports. The ten-day, two-country tour includes airfare, hotel accommodations, breakfasts and dinners, transportation, excursions and more, all for under $5,000.

In order to accurately tell the stories of others, I must give voice to my own.