Growing up, there are moments of realization that cause a period of doubt. Sometimes, those realizations make you question your purpose or decisions. Everything starts going downhill and you can't do anything. This is until you realize there’s one more person to turn to before you screw up again, one last chance to try getting your life back on track – and mine was God. As a Muslim growing up in this generation, I thought that I could call myself a Muslim even though I didn’t do the bare minimum that was asked of me I didn't know the point of praying to a God I didn’t feel connected to. I didn't see the point in trying to make things better. It got to the point that my health was being affected, mentally and physically. I knew I had to do something but I wasn’t sure if turning to God was the right thing to do because of how much I already ruined my own life. Knowing my family was built around faith, I figured I’d give it a try. One day, after putting on a fake smile and acting like everything was okay, I went to my room and laid out a prayer mat. All it took was to realize I needed to get help. I had to let everything out, no matter how weak I thought it would make me. I learned that it was okay to not be okay and I realized what it meant when Muslims said “and he found you lost and guided you”. It took reaching my lowest point to realize I needed to get back on track and find guidance. As the years passed, my mental health gradually began to improve. I knew it wasn't going to be an easy journey but it was something I needed to do in hopes of a better future. I started to become interested in my faith and continued to learn more. It wasn't easy, since I never really had anyone to encourage me to have faith so it took some getting used to. It took a few months to finally get the hang of it but eventually, it happened. My mental health was getting back on track and one by one I was putting the puzzle pieces of myself back together. I knew I couldn't let this rocky start get the best of me and that’s when I came about the quote, “Allah (God) does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.” As the years progressed, I saw a change in who I was. I began to see the purpose of life and what the point of living was. I became whole as a person and I found the piece that I was missing. Although my health was damaged on the journey here, I wouldn't have changed a single thing. I wake up thankful every day to even be allowed to get a chance of becoming a better me. It began with me not caring about myself and it turned into me being someone who looks for guidance from God in my journey towards self-love. Everything changed when I saw that vulnerability was normal, and turning to God did not make me weak. It wasn't easy to leave behind this mindset, but knowing that I wouldn't be who I am without this experience, the best decision I ever made was to learn more about my identity and faith. فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا, for indeed, with hardship comes ease…