2023

    It all started with a filmmaking competition. The rules were simple: we were given a theme and had a week to create a short film based on it. In 2023, that theme was survival.

 

    I remember sitting in a parking lot, talking to my wife about what we could create in just one day that captured the heart of that word.

At the time, I was facing what felt like the hardest year in recent memory. I already knew my relationship with alcohol was a problem, but 2023 made it undeniable. I saw firsthand how much damage it was doing — to my personal life, to my business. We lost our house. I lost team members. I owed more money than I could manage, all stemming from not-so-smart financial decisions. It felt like everything was caving in at once.

 

    Back to that parking lot. I realized there’s something people survive every single day — even when they don’t want to: their own mind. That realization sparked what would become Finding Inspiration, our first short film and now the start of an ongoing anthology series. The film explores suicidal ideation, the experiences that can lead us to that point, and how we might find hope in the dark.

 

    I haven’t personally experienced suicidal ideation, but I’ve seen its impact up close. One of my closest friends still struggles with self-harm. She also lost someone she loved deeply to suicide. It’s a complex issue — one that deserves a deeper, more compassionate light. I believe in the power of storytelling. I believe how we say things can be just as transformative as what we say.

 

    I didn’t know back then what Finding Inspiration would grow into — but I know now the work is just beginning. I’m still in a season of struggle. I’m figuring things out as I go. I don’t have all the answers. I’m not out of the woods yet. But telling stories about mental health, inviting people into those conversations, and connecting them with real resources — it’s already making an impact.

 

    I started this foundation because I wanted to highlight how everyday life — the small, quiet stresses we often overlook — shape our mental health in ways we rarely acknowledge. If we can break those moments down into bite-sized stories, followed by open and honest conversation, we can create space. Not for a perfect future, but for one that feels a little more manageable.

 

My goal with this foundation is simple: if even just one person at each event walks away knowing they matter, that they belong here — then we’re doing something right. Healing isn’t easy. It’s not linear. But there is light on the other side.

Let’s tap in. Let’s open up. Let’s talk about mental health — and do something about it.

 

- Andrew Smith

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