I used to imagine I carried, deep inside, a better version of me. This “real” Anna would be able to do everything I couldn’t. She would fearlessly travel to far-flung countries and get deliberately lost in strange places. She would sky-dive and swim with sharks. She would boldly meet new people and know how to have a conversation with them.

...

If I could just find and release her, my life would change. I would be cured.

https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/i-ve-spent-my-life-looking-for-a-cure-to-mental-illness-then-i-made-a-discovery-20221025-p5bslq.html

I’ve spent my life looking for a cure to mental illness, then I made a discovery

In the hunt for my ‘better’ self, I realised I was missing the version that was already here.

The Age

I thought I could never leave #twitter because I'd miss out on the wise words of @annaspargoryan and it turns out she's already here, way before I was!

(do read this, it's really good)