October 11th is National Coming Out Day. Today, I thought I’d share a bit about my story. I started to realize I was different somewhere in middle school. I realized I was gay in high school, but it really took me until my early 20s to fully accept who I am. I came out to friends and family at the age of 22.

It was the Spring Semester of my senior year in college…the very last one before I was to graduate. The year was 2009. We just had the financial crisis of 2008, and I was dealing with coming to accept who I was and freaking out that I’d be a college grad who couldn’t find a job. I ended up suffering severe depression for quite a time. Luckily I got counseling and was able to get past all of that.

Thankfully, everyone from friends, to family, to co-workers have been extremely wonderful toward me. I know that many people aren’t so lucky. I feel so grateful to have had the experiences I have had to this point and I am so happy where my life is at right now. If you know someone who is going through the process of coming out (it is a process), be supportive. They need all of the love and support they can have.