I struggled with crippling anxiety and a deep sense of misalignment for years…though you’d never be able to tell. I was an expert-level masker.

On the outside I seemed happy, and my anxiety was able to seek refuge behind the Confident, Independent Woman Identity: I was driven, I had a fast-paced career in tech, I was well-traveled and always had something fun on my social calendar. On the inside, I was struggling. My confidence was about as sturdy as a house made from popsicle sticks, and what other people saw as “drive” was actually my own attempt to stay busy and continue running from my emotions. The truth was, I was completely unhappy with the career I excelled at, I was in a constant and incredibly toxic battle with my body, and felt wildly lost in most of my relationships. I certainly didn’t trust myself…and I was starting to wonder if I even liked myself.