One of the most common questions I am asked is about the tattoo on my throat.
When we lost my best friend, Justin Andres, to suicide, he left me a note. I traced over his initials, surrounded them with the phoenix, and met with a tattoo artist.
You see, Justin hesitated to put a voice to his challenges because he didn’t want to burden others with his pain.
Justin’s initials are on my throat chakra as a reminder that I WILL talk, and that silence is not the answer. The phoenix rising from the ashes reminds me that something beautiful can be reborn after total destruction.
My recent keynote, ‘Find Your Voice. Find Your Power’ is in honor of Justin. He continues to guide me from the other side, and together, we will shatter the stigma surrounding mental health.
Justin’s birthday just passed, and I realized that he gave me the greatest gift: My voice.
My hope is that you are able to always use your voice in times of need.
Keep talking my friends. The world needs you.