1 00:00:22,036 --> 00:00:24,831 I've been feeling a little nostalgic lately. 2 00:00:24,831 --> 00:00:28,109 These past few days, I've been reminiscing about my time as an intern, 3 00:00:28,109 --> 00:00:29,818 how different the pace was then. 4 00:00:29,818 --> 00:00:33,811 I remember I would arrive at the office, press the button on the computer, 5 00:00:33,811 --> 00:00:36,357 and it would take a while to turn on. 6 00:00:36,357 --> 00:00:39,147 And I still had to connect to the internet. 7 00:00:39,147 --> 00:00:44,524 I worked in the communications department and dealt with large image files, 8 00:00:44,524 --> 00:00:48,208 and every time I had to save an image, 9 00:00:48,208 --> 00:00:52,356 I'd get up and get a cup of coffee or chat to people, 10 00:00:52,762 --> 00:00:54,322 because it took so long. 11 00:00:54,957 --> 00:00:58,867 Then, suddenly, everything changed. 12 00:00:58,867 --> 00:01:04,137 The world became fast-paced, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. 13 00:01:04,137 --> 00:01:05,605 The demands increased, 14 00:01:05,605 --> 00:01:10,566 and with them, the need to do things faster and faster. 15 00:01:10,566 --> 00:01:13,404 And I tried to keep up with the pace. 16 00:01:13,404 --> 00:01:18,210 The only thing I didn't expect was I would be forced to take a pause, 17 00:01:18,210 --> 00:01:20,216 against my will. 18 00:01:20,216 --> 00:01:22,899 I was in a rising career abroad 19 00:01:22,899 --> 00:01:26,596 when I was caught off-guard by an unexpected psychiatric diagnosis. 20 00:01:26,596 --> 00:01:28,983 In March of 2005, 21 00:01:28,983 --> 00:01:34,142 I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder with psychotic features. 22 00:01:34,142 --> 00:01:38,567 At first, the situation didn't look good; the outlook even less. 23 00:01:38,567 --> 00:01:40,152 I even had a doctor 24 00:01:40,152 --> 00:01:42,604 who said that I should retire and go on disability. 25 00:01:43,051 --> 00:01:48,043 Imagine this: I was in my early 30s with so much life ahead of me 26 00:01:48,699 --> 00:01:52,223 when my life came to a sudden halt. 27 00:01:52,223 --> 00:01:53,991 In the case of bipolar disorder, 28 00:01:53,991 --> 00:01:56,712 I have two distinctive behavior states: 29 00:01:56,712 --> 00:01:59,264 one is depression, and the other is euphoria, 30 00:01:59,264 --> 00:02:01,817 which was previously called mania. 31 00:02:02,398 --> 00:02:05,819 The euphoric phase was an energy unlike anything I'd ever experienced. 32 00:02:05,819 --> 00:02:08,048 I remember going to the office 33 00:02:08,048 --> 00:02:11,551 and working late into the night, only to come home and continue working 34 00:02:11,551 --> 00:02:14,492 as if it were the most normal thing in the world. 35 00:02:14,492 --> 00:02:18,098 That was until my boss said to me, "Dyene, slow down, 36 00:02:18,098 --> 00:02:21,914 the other departments can't keep up with your demands." 37 00:02:21,914 --> 00:02:26,019 Then I started to get worse, and I couldn't see things properly. 38 00:02:26,328 --> 00:02:30,291 It was like I had stuck my face out the window of a fast-moving car, 39 00:02:30,291 --> 00:02:32,886 and I couldn't distinguish the objects properly. 40 00:02:32,886 --> 00:02:37,078 I once looked at the fridge and saw moving shapes and colors. 41 00:02:37,078 --> 00:02:41,185 I still occasionally look at the fridge to make sure it's still in its place. 42 00:02:41,568 --> 00:02:43,789 At times, it affected my hearing too. 43 00:02:43,789 --> 00:02:46,678 I'd hear things that no one else could hear, 44 00:02:46,678 --> 00:02:51,558 like a basketball bouncing incessantly next to me. 45 00:02:52,136 --> 00:02:56,843 My biggest fear at that time was that I would gradually go crazy, 46 00:02:56,843 --> 00:02:59,498 until I was no longer myself at all. 47 00:02:59,498 --> 00:03:03,217 And after all this euphoric energy, 48 00:03:03,217 --> 00:03:06,441 I would fall into an overwhelming depression. 49 00:03:06,441 --> 00:03:10,116 That phase was very difficult. I felt like an invalid. 50 00:03:10,116 --> 00:03:13,729 I would cry all day for no apparent reason. 51 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,964 I remember once we threw a birthday party for my husband, 52 00:03:17,964 --> 00:03:20,296 and I couldn't get out of bed. 53 00:03:20,296 --> 00:03:23,601 I remember that I prayed, begged, and bargained, 54 00:03:23,601 --> 00:03:25,671 but my body wouldn't respond. 55 00:03:25,671 --> 00:03:27,333 That was very strange 56 00:03:27,333 --> 00:03:30,779 because I have always been an extremely sociable person, 57 00:03:30,779 --> 00:03:36,400 and acting that way was very unlike me. 58 00:03:37,015 --> 00:03:41,613 At times like this, I'd feel really guilty 59 00:03:41,613 --> 00:03:44,605 for not being able to do things so easily. 60 00:03:45,170 --> 00:03:46,870 And along with the guilt, 61 00:03:46,870 --> 00:03:52,005 there was shame, sadness, and tremendous agony. 62 00:03:52,616 --> 00:03:55,890 And that agony continued to escalate 63 00:03:56,453 --> 00:04:00,797 until I wanted to sleep and never wake up again. 64 00:04:00,797 --> 00:04:03,616 I even started planning my "disappearance" - 65 00:04:03,616 --> 00:04:05,370 if you know what I mean. 66 00:04:05,370 --> 00:04:07,357 When I told this to my therapist, 67 00:04:07,357 --> 00:04:09,770 she said, "Dyene, this is very dangerous. 68 00:04:09,770 --> 00:04:11,947 You're having suicidal thoughts." 69 00:04:11,947 --> 00:04:13,684 And that word I know well 70 00:04:13,684 --> 00:04:17,574 because my grandmother committed suicide at the age of 56. 71 00:04:17,574 --> 00:04:20,309 She had also suffered from bipolar disorder. 72 00:04:20,309 --> 00:04:24,633 So my therapist suggested that I go to a psychiatric hospital. 73 00:04:24,633 --> 00:04:28,441 The term "psychiatric hospital" is enough to scare anyone. 74 00:04:28,441 --> 00:04:31,504 But what scares me the most 75 00:04:31,504 --> 00:04:34,455 is the stigma, the prejudice, 76 00:04:34,455 --> 00:04:38,797 because that's what prevents people from seeking appropriate treatment. 77 00:04:39,306 --> 00:04:40,677 I went to the hospital 78 00:04:40,677 --> 00:04:44,280 where I had people assessing me 24 hours a day: 79 00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:47,374 professionals, competent doctors. 80 00:04:47,374 --> 00:04:49,807 This really helped my recovery. 81 00:04:49,807 --> 00:04:53,647 When I left the hospital, I think what helped me the most 82 00:04:53,647 --> 00:04:57,827 was being able to count on the support and unconditional love of my family. 83 00:04:58,307 --> 00:05:01,894 I remember once, at the hospital, I told my husband, 84 00:05:01,894 --> 00:05:05,936 "Darling, if you want to divorce me, I'll understand. 85 00:05:05,936 --> 00:05:09,240 I have nothing to offer you right now." 86 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:12,729 And he said to me, "You're crazy if you think I'll divorce you!" 87 00:05:12,729 --> 00:05:13,999 To which I replied, 88 00:05:13,999 --> 00:05:17,070 "Well, the fact that I'm crazy has been proven - 89 00:05:17,070 --> 00:05:19,741 we're in a psychiatric hospital!" 90 00:05:19,741 --> 00:05:24,112 And as time passed, my desire to improve continued, 91 00:05:24,112 --> 00:05:27,487 and I started to visualize my recovery, 92 00:05:27,487 --> 00:05:29,891 which was nothing more than an optimistic view 93 00:05:29,891 --> 00:05:31,442 of who I wanted to be. 94 00:05:31,442 --> 00:05:36,768 I imagined myself studying, working, doing the things I've always enjoyed. 95 00:05:36,768 --> 00:05:40,498 And I remember it was January of 2007 96 00:05:40,498 --> 00:05:42,686 that I decided to make a New Year's resolution. 97 00:05:42,686 --> 00:05:46,658 I wrote down on paper that I would make the impossible possible - 98 00:05:46,658 --> 00:05:52,864 I would commit myself to overcoming this disorder. 99 00:05:53,404 --> 00:05:57,702 At that time, I had started reading all of the books on bipolar disorder. 100 00:05:57,702 --> 00:05:59,539 I read all the biographies. 101 00:05:59,539 --> 00:06:03,627 And what I learned during that time is that the pauses aren't permanent. 102 00:06:03,627 --> 00:06:06,282 In fact, pauses are an excellent opportunity 103 00:06:06,282 --> 00:06:11,738 to discover a reservoir of potential that we don't even know we have. 104 00:06:12,242 --> 00:06:13,397 And in some ways, 105 00:06:13,397 --> 00:06:18,537 I think we're all experiencing an imposed pause because of COVID-19. 106 00:06:18,537 --> 00:06:20,888 It's a very painful time. 107 00:06:20,888 --> 00:06:23,009 But I think if we pay attention, 108 00:06:23,009 --> 00:06:26,294 we'll be able to draw very rich lessons from it 109 00:06:26,294 --> 00:06:28,035 in this very difficult moment. 110 00:06:28,035 --> 00:06:30,188 Deep down, everything starts from within us. 111 00:06:30,188 --> 00:06:32,709 It's not external factors that generate stress 112 00:06:32,709 --> 00:06:35,404 but how we deal with these external factors. 113 00:06:35,404 --> 00:06:37,366 I pay a lot of attention to my stress 114 00:06:37,366 --> 00:06:40,004 because it can be a trigger for my bipolar symptoms. 115 00:06:40,004 --> 00:06:43,192 And depression and bipolar disorder are very serious illnesses. 116 00:06:43,192 --> 00:06:44,562 According to WHO, 117 00:06:44,562 --> 00:06:47,712 depression is the biggest cause of disability in the world, 118 00:06:47,712 --> 00:06:50,014 and Oxford researchers have found 119 00:06:50,014 --> 00:06:52,317 that life expectancy is 9 to 20 years shorter 120 00:06:52,317 --> 00:06:55,895 for those with bipolar disorder. 121 00:06:55,895 --> 00:06:59,923 And I always ask myself, "How I can stay out of those statistics?" 122 00:07:00,583 --> 00:07:05,279 The first thing is knowing that I'm not cured but stabilized. 123 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,786 This makes adherence to my treatment even greater. 124 00:07:09,786 --> 00:07:13,072 And I also think it has a lot to do with personal responsibility, 125 00:07:13,072 --> 00:07:16,728 which is my own commitment to my mental health 126 00:07:16,728 --> 00:07:20,687 in adopting long-term healthy habits. 127 00:07:20,687 --> 00:07:23,486 It may seem strange for someone who has a mental disorder 128 00:07:23,486 --> 00:07:26,975 to come here and talk to you about balance and healthy living, 129 00:07:26,975 --> 00:07:28,882 but it makes all the sense in the world. 130 00:07:28,882 --> 00:07:31,405 Maintaining my mental health is not an option for me - 131 00:07:31,405 --> 00:07:33,077 it's a matter of life and death. 132 00:07:33,077 --> 00:07:34,594 If I don't take care of myself, 133 00:07:34,594 --> 00:07:39,965 my probability of committing suicide increases exponentially. 134 00:07:40,336 --> 00:07:41,863 That's why I came here today 135 00:07:41,863 --> 00:07:45,342 to share the five steps I take to complement my treatment. 136 00:07:45,342 --> 00:07:47,080 I'll give you an example. 137 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:51,551 Remember I said that when I was euphoric my thoughts were extremely fast? 138 00:07:52,532 --> 00:07:54,346 This happened a lot. 139 00:07:54,346 --> 00:07:57,780 I think that our habit of staying constantly busy 140 00:07:57,780 --> 00:07:59,875 is an addictive adrenaline rush. 141 00:07:59,875 --> 00:08:02,259 Then, at the end of the day, we think to ourselves, 142 00:08:02,259 --> 00:08:04,146 "Wow, I've worked so hard, 143 00:08:04,146 --> 00:08:06,526 but I feel like I've accomplished nothing." 144 00:08:06,976 --> 00:08:11,787 Stanford researchers found that, when we multitask, 145 00:08:11,787 --> 00:08:15,826 our efficiency and productivity drop. 146 00:08:15,826 --> 00:08:18,496 Our brain is a lot like a computer. 147 00:08:18,496 --> 00:08:21,620 You know when you leave all the tabs open on a computer? 148 00:08:21,620 --> 00:08:23,424 Our brains are the same. 149 00:08:23,424 --> 00:08:26,010 And deep down, our conscious attention 150 00:08:26,010 --> 00:08:28,637 is one of the most precious resources we have. 151 00:08:29,359 --> 00:08:30,563 Back in 2007, 152 00:08:30,563 --> 00:08:34,152 when I promised myself I would take care of my mental health, 153 00:08:34,152 --> 00:08:36,761 the first thing I looked into was meditation. 154 00:08:36,761 --> 00:08:38,129 And then I tried it. 155 00:08:38,129 --> 00:08:39,585 I was living in Houston then, 156 00:08:39,585 --> 00:08:42,255 and I went to a Buddhist temple to learn how to meditate. 157 00:08:42,255 --> 00:08:46,427 I confess that I was a real disaster. 158 00:08:46,427 --> 00:08:49,168 You know that concept of clearing the mind, 159 00:08:49,168 --> 00:08:52,253 focusing on breathing, and not thinking about anything? 160 00:08:52,253 --> 00:08:54,140 That wasn't for me. 161 00:08:54,140 --> 00:08:56,310 Then I went to the monk and said, 162 00:08:56,310 --> 00:08:59,799 "Look, I understand the importance of meditation, 163 00:08:59,799 --> 00:09:03,359 but I don't think I have the cognitive capacity for it." 164 00:09:03,799 --> 00:09:05,815 And he said to me, with all the tranquility 165 00:09:05,815 --> 00:09:07,365 that only a monk could possess, 166 00:09:07,365 --> 00:09:10,474 "Dyene, meditation isn't something we do - 167 00:09:10,474 --> 00:09:13,175 it's something we practice." 168 00:09:13,655 --> 00:09:16,765 And he had a point. So I decided to practice. 169 00:09:17,020 --> 00:09:19,715 To this day, I've noticed that when I don't meditate, 170 00:09:19,715 --> 00:09:21,433 I don't sleep so well, 171 00:09:21,433 --> 00:09:24,789 my ability to focus and concentrate decreases, 172 00:09:24,789 --> 00:09:26,585 and my anxiety increases. 173 00:09:27,386 --> 00:09:31,201 And this lack of focus and clarity that I had 174 00:09:31,201 --> 00:09:35,107 improved with meditation, but they weren't my only symptoms. 175 00:09:35,107 --> 00:09:40,370 Another very evident symptom I had was my need for isolation. 176 00:09:40,950 --> 00:09:42,922 I think this is understandable. 177 00:09:42,922 --> 00:09:45,309 People who have depression know it's an anguish, 178 00:09:45,309 --> 00:09:48,577 a desperation to get away from others. 179 00:09:48,577 --> 00:09:51,547 You don't want anyone to see you in that state. 180 00:09:51,547 --> 00:09:53,655 So you distance yourself. 181 00:09:53,655 --> 00:09:58,758 However, the more difficult our lives get, the more we need each other. 182 00:09:59,178 --> 00:10:02,598 I once heard that monsters exist in the dark, 183 00:10:02,598 --> 00:10:06,792 but when you turn on the light, you can see they don't exist. 184 00:10:06,792 --> 00:10:11,434 Sometimes you don't have the will to get up and turn on the switch. 185 00:10:11,434 --> 00:10:14,087 And that's when you need a helping hand. 186 00:10:14,297 --> 00:10:20,187 When I decided I was going to get better, I started investing in my relationships - 187 00:10:20,313 --> 00:10:22,385 that was my second step. 188 00:10:22,385 --> 00:10:25,788 So I set up a group of family and friends 189 00:10:25,788 --> 00:10:29,513 and even attended several support groups, 190 00:10:29,513 --> 00:10:31,718 which was very important for me. 191 00:10:32,847 --> 00:10:35,957 And today I see that isolation reigns. 192 00:10:36,590 --> 00:10:40,931 We have so much technology to bring us together, 193 00:10:40,931 --> 00:10:46,509 but it's increasingly difficult for us to form genuine, lasting relationships. 194 00:10:47,557 --> 00:10:51,147 And perhaps it's even more difficult for us to coexist with people 195 00:10:51,147 --> 00:10:53,383 who think differently from us. 196 00:10:53,383 --> 00:10:56,154 And what we should strive to do 197 00:10:56,354 --> 00:11:02,593 is build more and more inclusive, diverse relationships 198 00:11:03,267 --> 00:11:06,999 because the more inclusive and diverse we are, 199 00:11:06,999 --> 00:11:10,201 the greater the possibility for us to find solutions 200 00:11:10,201 --> 00:11:13,583 to the most complex problems that humanity offers. 201 00:11:13,583 --> 00:11:16,988 It'll be collaboration mediated by technology 202 00:11:16,988 --> 00:11:21,268 that will allow us to reach the highest innovation rates. 203 00:11:22,179 --> 00:11:24,740 And this technology comes with some challenges - 204 00:11:24,740 --> 00:11:26,197 for me at least. 205 00:11:26,197 --> 00:11:29,042 One of them is digital overload, 206 00:11:29,042 --> 00:11:32,559 which is understandable considering we're in front of screens all day - 207 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:36,724 computer screens, televisions, and cell phones. 208 00:11:36,964 --> 00:11:39,804 University of Chicago intellectuals 209 00:11:39,804 --> 00:11:41,160 have even said 210 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:44,786 that social media is more addictive than alcohol and cigarettes. 211 00:11:45,308 --> 00:11:49,674 So to help me balance out this digital overload, 212 00:11:49,674 --> 00:11:52,045 I prioritized sleep in my life. 213 00:11:52,045 --> 00:11:55,518 If when I was depressed I'd sleep 18 hours a day. 214 00:11:55,518 --> 00:11:57,953 and when I was euphoric I wouldn't sleep at all - 215 00:11:57,953 --> 00:12:01,411 today, I know that seven to eight hours is my ideal. 216 00:12:01,411 --> 00:12:06,402 Restorative sleep enhances our ability to learn and memorize 217 00:12:06,402 --> 00:12:08,640 and also decreases the risks 218 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:13,162 of developing some types of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. 219 00:12:13,698 --> 00:12:15,391 I remember when I was younger, 220 00:12:15,391 --> 00:12:18,113 I used to think it was great to pull all-nighters working. 221 00:12:18,113 --> 00:12:21,506 Today, I know how harmful this was to my health. 222 00:12:22,139 --> 00:12:24,778 Improving my sleeping habits was the third thing I did 223 00:12:24,778 --> 00:12:26,902 to improve my mental health. 224 00:12:26,902 --> 00:12:29,119 The fourth was exercise. 225 00:12:29,119 --> 00:12:32,681 I always used lack of time as an excuse, 226 00:12:32,681 --> 00:12:36,701 until a friend of mine said, "Dyene, a day has 1440 minutes. 227 00:12:36,701 --> 00:12:41,997 If you can't find 30 to exercise, then you're doing something wrong." 228 00:12:42,462 --> 00:12:44,107 And he was right. 229 00:12:44,107 --> 00:12:47,543 So I started to see exercise as a medical prescription, 230 00:12:47,543 --> 00:12:52,253 as something that would help me fight my comorbidities. 231 00:12:53,012 --> 00:12:55,534 And when I started to see exercise that way, 232 00:12:55,534 --> 00:13:00,461 it became much easier to overcome procrastination and get off the couch. 233 00:13:00,824 --> 00:13:06,216 I think procrastination is something we're all somewhat familiar with. 234 00:13:06,467 --> 00:13:10,139 Sometimes it's so difficult to get our dreams off the ground 235 00:13:10,139 --> 00:13:12,260 because we're so afraid of making mistakes. 236 00:13:12,260 --> 00:13:13,890 I once heard 237 00:13:13,890 --> 00:13:16,990 that somewhere in the world there's the Museum of Procrastination. 238 00:13:16,990 --> 00:13:20,360 There, you can find that incredible book that was never written, 239 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,336 that brilliant canvas that was never painted, 240 00:13:23,336 --> 00:13:27,262 and that brilliant innovation that was never patented. 241 00:13:27,414 --> 00:13:31,725 We have to remember something: life is very different from school. 242 00:13:31,725 --> 00:13:34,490 At school, first we have the lesson - 243 00:13:38,286 --> 00:13:41,108 first we have the lesson and then we have the test. 244 00:13:41,108 --> 00:13:45,681 In life, first we have the test, and then we have the lesson. 245 00:13:45,681 --> 00:13:50,823 And to counteract this procrastination imposed by my illness, 246 00:13:50,823 --> 00:13:52,898 I needed a lot of discipline 247 00:13:52,898 --> 00:13:55,530 to do the four steps I told you about today: 248 00:13:55,530 --> 00:13:59,703 improve my sleep, exercise, meditate, 249 00:13:59,703 --> 00:14:02,937 and seek healthy relationships. 250 00:14:03,443 --> 00:14:06,848 And it was with this discipline that I kept moving forward. 251 00:14:06,848 --> 00:14:10,387 I had to pause; I even took a step back. 252 00:14:10,387 --> 00:14:12,039 But I continued. 253 00:14:12,039 --> 00:14:15,148 Today, I can say that bipolar disorder has transformed me. 254 00:14:15,917 --> 00:14:17,519 I don't complain about my job 255 00:14:17,519 --> 00:14:20,003 because I know what it's like to be incapacitated. 256 00:14:20,003 --> 00:14:23,825 I know that unforeseen events happen to anyone 257 00:14:23,825 --> 00:14:27,217 and that the sense of control I thought I had 258 00:14:27,217 --> 00:14:28,934 was a mere illusion. 259 00:14:28,934 --> 00:14:31,072 I also recognize the privileges I had - 260 00:14:31,072 --> 00:14:33,792 one of which was access to quality healthcare. 261 00:14:33,792 --> 00:14:35,510 And my most sincere wish 262 00:14:35,510 --> 00:14:38,283 is that everyone who suffers from a mental disorder 263 00:14:38,283 --> 00:14:41,382 can have accessibility to the same opportunities I had. 264 00:14:41,671 --> 00:14:43,141 Today, I do what I like doing. 265 00:14:43,141 --> 00:14:44,993 I'm a marketing global director 266 00:14:44,993 --> 00:14:47,237 at an intelligence and information company, 267 00:14:47,237 --> 00:14:51,968 and I've told my story through a book called "Vencendo a Mente." 268 00:14:51,968 --> 00:14:55,541 I deliberately used a gerund in the title, "Conquering the Mind" in English, 269 00:14:55,541 --> 00:14:58,168 because the work never ends. 270 00:14:58,602 --> 00:15:03,291 Telling my story so openly was a real challenge. 271 00:15:03,756 --> 00:15:07,297 I was very afraid of being ridiculed, 272 00:15:07,297 --> 00:15:10,602 stigmatized, or even excluded. 273 00:15:10,602 --> 00:15:12,206 But that didn't happen. 274 00:15:12,206 --> 00:15:14,385 I was treated with a great deal of kindness. 275 00:15:14,385 --> 00:15:17,640 When the time came for the book release, I had to tell my boss, 276 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,018 and I thought I was going to get fired, 277 00:15:20,018 --> 00:15:22,603 or that my career would end at that moment. 278 00:15:22,603 --> 00:15:24,576 And he surprised me when he said, 279 00:15:24,576 --> 00:15:28,881 "Dyene, courage, authenticity, and vulnerability 280 00:15:28,881 --> 00:15:31,453 are characteristics of true leaders." 281 00:15:31,453 --> 00:15:34,291 Hearing that was very important for me to move forward. 282 00:15:34,291 --> 00:15:38,883 For a while, I had considered publishing the book anonymously, 283 00:15:38,883 --> 00:15:41,354 but then I would miss an excellent opportunity 284 00:15:41,354 --> 00:15:45,967 to show people that it's possible to live with a mental disorder, 285 00:15:45,967 --> 00:15:47,781 to live a full life, 286 00:15:47,781 --> 00:15:52,433 and also to reinforce the importance of the treatment that makes this possible. 287 00:15:52,433 --> 00:15:58,445 In the end, it was through healthy habits, self-awareness, and discipline 288 00:15:58,445 --> 00:16:01,786 that I managed to turn the tables and resume my momentum - 289 00:16:01,786 --> 00:16:05,528 not forgetting the importance of pausing, whether it be deliberate or not. 290 00:16:05,810 --> 00:16:07,129 It was through pausing 291 00:16:07,129 --> 00:16:09,878 that I was able to connect with who I really was 292 00:16:09,878 --> 00:16:12,840 and tell own my story. 293 00:16:13,471 --> 00:16:17,284 A wise man once said, "Change, but start slowly 294 00:16:17,284 --> 00:16:21,685 because direction is more important than speed." 295 00:16:21,685 --> 00:16:24,237 So start where you are, 296 00:16:24,237 --> 00:16:26,042 go at your own pace, 297 00:16:26,042 --> 00:16:30,113 and never give up until you find your point of equilibrium. 298 00:16:30,113 --> 00:16:31,674 Thank you. 299 00:16:31,674 --> 00:16:34,659 (Applause)