Starting is the hardest part. I know, because I almost didn’t. But one day, I showed up. Not fast, not confident, not ready. Just there. And that was enough.

Graduation wasn’t supposed to feel like this. I didn’t walk away with a diploma, but I refused to let that define me. Instead, I set my own finish lines. Those miles taught me grit, resilience, and that belonging doesn’t come from a certificate, it comes from finding your place and refusing to quit.

I didn’t start running to help my mental health, but that’s one of the biggest reasons I keep going. Running helps me think clearer, feel stronger, and remember I’m still here. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to start.

I didn’t start running to prove something. I just needed something that fit, something that worked for me. Team sports were hard. I felt like I didn’t belong. Then I found running. One step turned into a routine. A finish line turned into a purpose. This is how it started… and why I’m still going.

When life feels loud and overwhelming, running gives me peace. I don’t always have the words to explain what’s going on inside me, but running helps me breathe through it.

I’ve always known something was different.

I just didn’t know what to call it.

This is the story of how I finally got my diagnosis and why it didn’t change who I am.

I’m still me.

They said I wouldn’t, but I did.
Growing up without a diagnosis, I was told all the things I’d never do. Talk normally. Read. Graduate. Matter. But I’ve been proving people wrong since I was a kid. I keep showing up, doing things my way, and refusing to quit. This is my story of moving past the limits they put on me.

Even when I feel weak, I keep showing up, tired, scared, unsure. And somehow, God still meets me there.

Even when I feel invisible, I’m not. God sees me, knows me, and never looks away.

I don’t pray the way everyone else does. But I’ve learned that prayer isn’t about perfect words. It’s about showing up. Running helps me do that. It clears my mind, connects me to God, and reminds me I was never a mistake.