My Story and Purpose

     I am in a unique transition in my life. Last year, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and suffered a terrible episode. Almost taking my own life left me questioning who I was and what I was doing with my limited time. I drilled deep and asked scary, necessary questions. One of the questions I asked had to do with my life goals and what I would do or not do to achieve said goals. I fortunately arrived at an answer. My goal in life is to help others and create (now, that means painting and writing). This is what I chose my life to be. Yes, there are important things like family, health, learning, etc. which will not be neglected. It took me a long time to figure out this truth. Silent nights staring into nothingness while my brain burned with contemplation was my true growing pain. If you ask if this makes life easier afterward, the answer is no. The path is clear, and I can see all the hardships, stress, and challenges. What makes this answer/goal acceptable and even celebrated is that this is my choice. This is my chosen path.

     After I recovered, I left my position as a biomedical engineer in medical device to pursue a career in psychology. This fits well into my goal to help others as I wish to help others like I have been helped. Plus, I want to be closer to the patient. Until school starts, which is fall 2024, I am spending my time creating. Majority of that time is spent painting and the other is establishing an art business so I may sell my art. I am learning a lot to say the least, and I admit the business and marketing side of things is not fun. It has been a challenge as I knew zero things when I started. Now I know a few things. What is driving me to create an art business is not solely for the revenue. It is to share my art with the world and to help. What I mean by help is simple... At least 25% of profits made from my selected pieces seen on valendrite.com will be donated to charities, institutions, organizations, and research centers dedicated to help those with mental disorders or further our understanding in psychology and neuroscience. Over time, I hope to grow this number to 30%, 40%, 50%, etc. I promised I would help those in need after I got better, and I intend to keep my promise. I will do all that I can to achieve my goal, and I hope people will fall in love with my art and support those in need.