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“The fact that I couldn’t see a way out didn’t mean one didn’t exist.” A new writer in our Friday night workshop talked about his difficulty composing a scene. I grabbed a pen to write down his words because in one sentence he’d nailed the secret to a successful recovery from mental illness.

Art imitates life and I’ve found that my writing opened doors. Three years ago when I joined the memoir-writing class, I hadn’t known it would offer opportunities for self-growth. Taking risks with my writing gave me the confidence to stretch myself in other areas. I joined a support group and started doing advocacy work.

Expressing my soul’s urge to write freed up my inhibitions. I formed a connection to the writers in the workshop and became comfortable expressing my feelings. Sharing my writing was the ultimate risk. I stripped myself bare, and wrote about my experiences in the hospital. Everyone loved what I wrote and accepted me anyway.

“In the absence of intimidation, creativity will flourish.” The workshop is a safe place I can go. Getting in touch with my creative self gave me more control over the illness. Writing my story was healing, like therapy. The hurtful memories no longer held power over me.

This year I cleared the last hurdle: I stopped beating myself up. Documenting my life in black-and-white, I was able to see that I’m a beautiful person who was self-determined. I let go of the outdated perceptions that were holding me back.

I’m not one of those anti-psychiatry writers who feel she should experience her moods on full-blast, even be trampled by them, rather than taking medication. On the right dose, I keep my thoughts and feelings in check, and as you can see, my writing hasn’t suffered. If I weren’t on the meds, I’d be scrawling down incoherent words in my graffiti handwriting late into the night.

Each day I devote as much time to my book as I can. This requires discipline. It gives structure and purpose to my life when I’m feeling down. When I’m writing, I’m actively alone instead of lounging on the couch. It’s more than a hobby; I expect it will lead to an income one day.

For those of us who want to make a career out of our talents, I recommend the book Living Your Joy by Suzanne Falter-Barnes. In it, she gently inspires us to devote our lives to the things that give us joy. She gives real-life examples like the UPS driver who delivers packages by day and is a virtuoso mandolin player at night.

Bono, the Irish singer, in his O interview with Oprah Winfrey, talks about how “truth unlocks creativity.” It’s a great dialogue, and I learned from it. In my life, too, accepting the truth about my illness did unlock my creativity. It was a self-fulfilling circle. I started to write my life and I was no longer chained. I broke free of the self-doubt that had plagued me for years.

When I was in denial, I was cut off from my true self. I wasn’t doing my writing and I felt displaced. I worked in corporations and had to maintain a certain face. It wasn’t until years later when I found the job I love that I picked up the pen again and began to live my passion.

It’s positive and healthy to express yourself. Find something that gives you joy—it could be writing, sculpting, singing, dancing, music, or anything. These outlets for self-expression will boost your mood, and brighten your outlook. If you feel there’s no way out, get in touch with your creative self, and you’ll see your way through.