Photo taken by contributor Tracy, a 30-year-old woman who lives with her husband and 8-year-old daughter in Glasgow, UK. Tracy has struggled with anxiety and depression for several years. She worked as an office assistant but was signed off work due to mental health issues. She deteriorated even more after that, with time spent in hospital, going to see counsellors, and lots of medications, with various side effects. She decided that she didn’t want to live like that anymore and she wanted to make her daughter proud of her, so she pushed herself to go back to college where she chose to study photography. She quickly realized how much she loved every aspect of photography. Although she still has very dark days, she continues to push herself and carry on doing what she loves.

About this photo: “The Beauty of the Different. This image was taken during a walk with my dog near our home. On that particular day we ventured to a part of the forest we do not usually go to. I was trying to practice mindfulness techniques at the time when I came across this particular little tree. It stood out to me because of it’s vibrant colour when all the other trees round about it had dark brown leaves falling from it. It was different. But different is good. It also made me think of how I feel quite a lot, surrounded by lots of people yet feeling utterly alone.”

Find more from Tracy at her website.

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