The past few years I’d been feeling like Sadako from The Ring - and it’s more

than just my
frizzy hair, dark undereye circles and oversized white t-shirts. I had felt like I was at the
bottom of a well, with the opening shut – badly bruised, without any light, without any exit.

But staring at the water at bottom of the well gave me time to reflect (pun intended). And in
2019, I learned a very important lesson – coming into terms with yourself is the first step to
true change.

Knowing that you will never be able realize a dream or that there are some things you can
never be is painful, but it’s also liberating. Once I stopped trying to reach some impossible
version of myself was the moment I took a step back, looked around and asked myself
“What now?”.

I realized eventually that for the 1 thing I failed at, there were 100 things I haven’t tried yet,
and 200 more things I probably have never heard of yet. I stopped looking for exit doors
on the well started looking up. I saw an opening, a ring of light. (For ya’ll who don’t know
that’s where the title came from)

I have everyone around me to be grateful for. The well opening was because of my friends,
family, classmates and workmates. And for that, I’d like to thank you all for believing in me
and putting your trust in me. You might not know it but it meant so much.

The well is going to open, but clawing up to the ring of the well is all you. It is going to take
some aggressive climbing and a bit of lat and forearm strength but you will reach the top.
You will climb yourself out of that hole. Maybe for you it’s a new hobby, a new project, a
new relationship, a new degree.

So for everyone feeling like a Sadako right now, hang in there. It gets better. When you’re at
rock bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up (#UPFight lol).