I have so much in my life to be thankful for - especially the things that didn't work out the way I wanted. Even the anxiety, loneliness, and depression I've experienced have taught me valuable lessons.

It wasn't until I turned 32 that I finally got diagnosed with depression and generalized anxiety. Its not as though the signs weren't there earlier - I just wasn't willing to accept that I needed help. Instead I continued to live life on hard mode.

I often think about how much more difficult certain phases of my life were with the dark clouds hanging over my head. Some days it was a challenge just getting out of bed, let alone getting over a breakup, or passing medical school with an A- average.

To overcome these negative thoughts and feelings I developed all kinds of coping mechanisms. While some were unhealthy, I would later learn during therapy that a few of them were actually quite remarkable - not only unique but also incredibly useful.