Feeling better takes space. It takes time. And it takes courage. And mental health is not one size fits all.

I was fortunate to learn about hard work and dedication at a young age. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the lessons my parents instilled in me helped as I progressed through my gymnastics career. While there were many tough and tiring days, I knew how important practice was to my development as a gymnast. As my training intensified, the physical part of gymnastics left my body sore and exhausted. But to me, the hardest part of gymnastics was the mental part.

The pressure of competing at the highest level is hard to put into words. Physical talent will only take you so far, and our minds, just like our bodies, require attention. To be honest, when I was competing, I didn’t have the knowledge or tools to help manage my mental well-being. I would push through tough practices and injuries, but it was all tied to performance. Rest and recovery were an absolute must, physically, but I didn’t apply the same approach to my mental health.

I was so focused on what I was doing in the gym that I didn’t pay attention to the stress, anxiety, and trauma I was experiencing, and the impact it was having on me. And when I look back now, I realize just how much I would have benefited from guided meditation, therapy, and other self-care tools both in and out of the gym.

While I am still learning and finding tools to help me cope, I believe the pathway to healing takes a lot of time and practice. Sometimes it feels like an open wound that never heals. Other times it is hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and sometimes it can feel like I am taking one hundred steps backwards.

But I have been really lucky to meet a lot of wonderful people from all walks of life, and one of the most important things I have learned is that I am not alone. A lot of people are battling something or have battled something in the past, and life is full of ups and downs for everyone.

Today, I have a much better understanding of the importance of mental health. While I am no longer competing, I know that my mental health needs dedication, space, and time. Some days, I wake up and feel good, other days not so much. But I try to take each day and ask myself “what do I need to feel better?” Some days it’s just five minutes, other days it’s longer. For me, guided meditation, journaling, practicing gratitude, gardening, listening to a calming playlist, and seeing a therapist regularly are a few of the things I’ve found that really make a difference.

My self-care routine is a work in progress, and I’m committed to feeling better. I partnered with Sanvello because I want to help encourage you to find that space and do what feels right for you. For me, Sanvello is a place I can go without judgment. I use the app to help me feel better, and I like that I can use it anywhere and at any time.

Mental health is not one-size-fits-all. One of the things I love about Sanvello is that it provides so many paths to feeling better. You can switch it up depending on how you feel. There is a huge library of self-care content, a community to find friends, coaching for extra motivation, and professional therapy for support if you want it. Plus, they partner with insurance providers in the U.S. to cover this care through health plans, which helps eliminate one of the barriers to those seeking help.

Your path may look different than someone else’s, and the rollercoaster of life can make it bumpy. The most important thing is to know you are not alone. You matter and deserve to be your best self, so I encourage you to start down that path, and take a small step forward every day.