Finding Purpose Through Service: A Journey Into Mental Health Advocacy

In life, we are all navigating the ongoing question: What is my purpose? What am I here to do? What impact am I meant to have?

For me, that journey was not immediate. As a former athlete, I dedicated the majority of my life to sports. It shaped my identity, my discipline, and my direction. But when the game was taken away, I was faced with a reality many athletes encounter, having to rediscover who I was beyond the sport.

That process was not quick. It took time, reflection, and growth. After years of searching, I found clarity. Today, I am living, moving, and operating in my purpose.

That purpose is rooted in service, serving as a life coach, a mentor, and as the Director of Player Development for athletes. Through that work, I’ve had the opportunity to walk alongside young men during some of the most critical and challenging seasons of their lives.

And through that experience, one thing became undeniable: the need for mental health advocacy in athletics.

I encountered athletes who were struggling, some silently, some openly, and in certain cases, experiencing significant mental health challenges. In those moments, I recognized a gap. I had the heart to help, but I lacked the formal training to fully support them in the way they deserved.

So instead of continuing to acknowledge the problem, I made a decision to become part of the solution.

That decision led me back to school, where I earned my Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Oklahoma State University. This step was not just about education; it was about responsibility. It was about being properly equipped to serve, support, and advocate for those entrusted to my care.

Today, my mission is clear: to be a light in the midst of darkness for individuals navigating mental health challenges. To provide guidance, support, and understanding during some of life’s lowest and most difficult seasons. And to ensure that those I serve know they are not alone.

At the core of it all is a belief I stand firmly on: life always gives you another opportunity.

At any moment in time, you have the ability to start over. To grow. To evolve. To become who you are called to be.

Do not allow societal expectations or external pressures to define your path. As long as you wake up each day with breath in your body, you have both a chance and a choice, a chance to move forward, and a choice to become.

The question is not whether the opportunity exists.

The question is: Will you choose it?