The pandemic has swept over the world since 2020. During that time, when I was alone, I realized that I had never spent that much time by myself before, so I was like a vampire exposed to the sun, feeling paralyzed by anxiety and depression. All these emotions erupted like a volcano. I needed some time and space to find out who I am. Therefore, I tried communicating with the “I” hidden deeply in my heart. 

I started an 108-day journey of self-exploration. In Buddhism, 108 represents a sacred number, and it also indicates the number of different vexations of mankind. Only after bravely confronting all of the pain brought to me, can I get a new life and feel as if I am reborn. Every day I created a self-portrait and then wrote down how I felt at that moment. In art therapy, drawing self-portraits can help people build up their self-awareness. My journey turned out to be a quest where I came to know myself, accept myself, and be myself. This journey is cyclical: I can go through it many times over the course of my life.