I truly believe that pushing myself out of my comfort zone is where I grow the most. Growing up, I went down a completely wrong path and ended up in a pretty low place, with no self-respect and no direction. I’m someone who takes things to extremes and hyper-focuses on whatever I’m into, so when I was on the wrong path, it was really the wrong path.

At some point, I realised this wasn’t the life I wanted. I knew I had potential, I had big things I wanted to do, and if I carried on the way I was, I’d never get there. So, I made a choice. I got into the gym, and for the first time in a long time, I had something positive to focus on. I loved the way it made me feel—it gave me a sense of purpose. I wasn’t perfect during that time, but I started turning my life around and actually feeling motivated again.

Then I met my amazing boyfriend, Tom (on a night out, funnily enough). He’d been through a similar journey, and at first, we spent a lot of time drinking and partying together. But after a while, we both realised that wasn’t what we wanted. So, we did something different—we went on our first camping trip and hiked through the Peak District. That trip changed everything.

Since then, we’ve done multi-day hikes, wild camping, surfing trips, travelled Southeast Asia, climbed mountains and volcanoes, run a half marathon, and even camped on a mountain with no tent. I finally feel like I have real purpose, and instead of wasting my obsessive energy, I use it to push myself—physically, mentally, and in life.

Since moving to Manchester, I’ve started calisthenics, begun training for a full marathon, switched careers, and started exploring new activities to add to our list of hobbies. I’m also really focusing on my career—growing my art business, progressing in my job, and making sure my mental health and peace stay a priority. I have no idea where this journey will take me next, but I’m excited to find out.