Your Mental Health Journey Doesn’t Have to Be Linear
By Richa Kondapally
Bring Change to Mind has been hosting free annual summits for their Club members since 2016. I attended one myself in the Bay Area a few years ago, not at a conference hall or school auditorium, but at the San Francisco Giants Stadium. It was a grand testament to the time, effort, and resources BC2M invests in these summits.
The summit was one of the first opportunities where I really grasped the importance of being part of communities that support your mental health. It was a safe space that fueled my growth journey with self-esteem, ultimately setting the path for how I approach mental health today, for myself and in my advocacy work.
Today, my relationship with mental health is stronger, but it doesn’t mean it’s perfect.
My sophomore year in college last year was incredibly gratifying professionally, but I also faced some challenges. As I was juggling classes, hobbies, professional goals, and extracurriculars, I was struggling to redefine what balance meant to me.
I’m majoring in global health, a passion of mine which extends to personal projects, extracurriculars, and internships. In this career path, like any, how one reacts to negative news is crucial. Initially, I felt incredibly overwhelmed. Keeping up with everything took a huge mental toll on me.
For a few months, I questioned why I was so stressed and why others’ methods for balance didn’t work for me. Why was I the only one who felt so overwhelmed? Was I really the only one, and do I easily get overwhelmed? Is a career in global health one I can handle?
There was a lot on my mind, but adaptability, resilience, and being patient with myself helped me get through that time. I slowly realized I shouldn’t have to feel like I was doing anything wrong. We all have uniquely different needs, circumstances, lifestyles, and goals. When our circumstances change, it can feel scary.
That is when we find new ways of what balance can look like. And sometimes what’s normalized as balance won’t apply to us. And that’s okay.
Now, I’ve learned to do more mental health check-ins with myself than I used to. It’s a new norm for me, in order to adapt to our rapidly changing world and the increased stress that often comes with that. It has allowed me to move closer to being informed without being extremely overwhelmed. It doesn’t mean I’m not stressed anymore, but it helps me move closer to better managing my stress in an uncertain world.
Growing up, I have always viewed school as a pathway solely for professional growth. But since I’ve begun college, I am equally prioritizing school as an opportunity for personal growth. And more often than not, they go hand in hand. I remind myself that studying and being ambitious is important, but you can do those things and do them even better when you also do the things that make you happy and grow your worldview beyond those four dorm walls.
Volunteering at BC2M’s first ever San Diego summit this past February was a full circle moment, reminding me to step back and re-evaluate what I had going on in my life, and if I should drop that extracurricular or take one less class, all things I wish I had done more of in high school.
I have multiple passions, and I used to take on a lot of projects before asking myself if I have enough time to. Over the years, I’ve learned to be more smart about what I can realistically take on because stressing about something you’re passionate about, can also diminish that passion too. If you choose to take a break, it doesn’t mean you don’t care anymore. In fact, giving yourself space and time away can be an incredibly mature and resilient approach to sustaining that passion for the long term.
The journey should be sustainable. Otherwise, you will burn out.
Simultaneously, it’s good to challenge yourself. You can take that extra class, grow beyond your current knowledge base, ask questions, explore a new passion, and ultimately, sit comfortably with that discomfort.
I’m still figuring things out. But, since freshman year, I have learned a lot about myself. I have given myself more space to think clearly and explore new endeavors, meeting the coolest people along the way, few of whom I have met when volunteering at BC2M’s 2025 February summit. The students, fellow volunteers, and staff embody so much vulnerability, self-love, humility, and kindness, it’s an incredibly empowering community to be part of.
That day, more than 200 caregivers said goodbye to their kids that morning in the name of mental health.
We have come a long way in normalizing mental health conversations. The summits exemplify the impact spaces of zero judgement and stigma can have in reminding individuals their mental health matters. As my BC2M high school Club’s Co-President and now a Mental Health Ambassador with Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty, I am grateful to be part of such uplifting communities which celebrate every unique aspect of me, aspects I’ve once hidden, but I now proudly make known.
It’s easy to get lost in the busyness our lives demand. And sometimes we lose ourselves in those moments. If that happens, it’s okay to start over. To try, make mistakes, learn from those mistakes, and do it all over again. That’s what adaptability is about.
It’s also incredibly important to surround yourself with people who make sure you’re okay and support you, just as you do for them.
We all deserve at least that.
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