As a recovering overachiever, I’ve spent a lot of time striving, planning, and doing—sometimes to the point of losing sight of my why. But every now and then, something happens that brings it back into focus.

Looking back, I realize I learned early on to shrink myself—to stay small, to stay safe, to make things easier for everyone else. That instinct followed me for years, but a recent moment in a music therapy session changed everything. A quiet child, hesitant to join in, slowly reached for my hand. And in that instant, I realized something profound: these children felt safe with me.

That word—safe—isn’t one I’ve often felt for myself. But maybe, just maybe, being that safety for someone else is enough. Maybe that’s how we navigate the dark—not by waiting for the light to return, but by becoming the light for others.

This is my why. It’s why I step onto stages, into therapy rooms, and into spaces where people need to be seen, heard, and safe. If you’ve been feeling lost or weighed down, just know this: even when you can’t see the light, you can still be the light.