Most people look at beautiful, athletic, successful, talented and super rich people.

I don’t focus on being “successful” much. I want my own life. I am a fan of certain celebrities and successful people but I don’t want to trade places with any of them. I like being myself. I don’t think of myself as any less good, as any less attractive, as any less desirable or as any less talented. I feel good about who I am. I’ve come a long way.

I never thought I could make peace with my mental illness.

I thought I would be sick forever and die in a psychiatric hospital. I have a fear of psych wards. Through psychosocial rehabilitation and going to an adult partial care program five days a week I was soon able to access and get outpatient services. I feel like going to a program five days a week for over a year was one of the best things I ever did. I would go to a program again depending on whether or not they have journaling and poetry groups.

I never thought that I would have made it this far but I did!

I see myself through different eyes now. I look back on my childhood and I have no anger or resentment toward anybody. I feel good about myself and my life. I always wanted to write a memoir. I wrote a memoir. I’m looking forward to going to a party next Saturday. Edi invited me to Memoirfest again. I love parties. I listen to Digital Underground sometimes with headphones. I love their vintage music videos.

I remember how kids didn’t like me when I was a little girl. The way people treated me gave me every reason not to like or love myself but no not Ayesha Karim!

Here I am in my 30s feeling so good about myself I can’t believe it feels this good to be Ayesha and to be comfortable the way I am. Self-love is a miracle!

I heard someone say “I don’t like Ayesha”.

I thought that doesn’t have to bother me. I’m staying focused. I am trying to get through my semester in college. I have a paper due on December 15. I have an assignment due on Wednesday. Time management is important in college. I have a week or so to go before my essay is due. It is supposed to be 1,500 words and the Works Cited needs to be APA style, not MLA style. I have come such a long way. If I don’t hear voices verbally attacking me I don’t think about my inner demons.