I'll start by saying that if I had known what this would lead to, I never would have touched it.

I would have kept dragging myself through the exhaustion and creeping dread that had settled over my life.

I would have let it crush me instead.

But at the time, it didn't feel like a mistake. It felt like salvation.

I was barely keeping it together, mentally, physically and emotionally. Work was draining

the life out of me. Every morning, I up with the same exhausted groan, accompanied by the all-too-familiar dull pain

behind my eyes, as the realization that I had to get through another day of this hit me.

My life had become a loop of meaningless emails and passive aggressive meetings.

My social life had deteriorated into scrolling through other people's happiness on Instagram.

My body felt sluggish and so did everything else.

Then out of nowhere, I got a text from Jason.

He was a guy I used to work with before he burned out worse than me.

I hadn't heard from him in almost a year, ever since he quit his job, went through a brutal

break-up and spiraled into some kind of depressive abyss.

He wanted to meet up, and when we did, I barely recognized him when he walked into the bar.

Jason had always looked horrible, but as he stood in front of me, he looked like he had been reborn.

His skin was clear and glowing.

His eyes was sharp and full of life.

Even the way he moved was different.

I couldn't stop staring.

What the hell happened to you? I finally asked.

Jason just smiled, leaned back in his chair.

...