When I started out the videos, I was dealing with depression

Hear the voice of Lilly Singh, who spoke not from the mountain of triumph but from the valley of struggle: “When I started out the videos, I was dealing with depression, and I wanted to make inspiring videos for others, which would end up inspiring me in turn. I wanted to show the world that it was possible to make a positive switch in life and start over.” These words are born of both pain and courage, and they echo a truth as old as humanity itself: that in lifting others, we lift ourselves; that in offering light, we are illuminated.

The origin of this quote lies in Singh’s early days as a creator on YouTube, when her spirit was weighed down by shadows of despair. She turned to creativity not as a pastime, but as a form of survival. Her videos, filled with humor and hope, were seeds planted in a barren place. They were meant to bring joy to others, yet they became the medicine that healed her own soul. This dual act—giving and receiving at once—shows the miraculous circle of inspiration: that to encourage another is to be encouraged, to heal another is to be healed.

History offers us examples of this sacred cycle. Consider the life of Florence Nightingale, who during the Crimean War found herself surrounded by suffering and death. Though she herself bore the crushing weight of exhaustion and illness, she turned her energy outward, tending to the wounded. In bringing hope to others, she too found purpose and resilience. Like Singh, she demonstrated that when the spirit feels broken, the surest way to rise is to lift another.

The deeper meaning of Singh’s words is that depression does not have the final word. Darkness may whisper that life cannot change, that despair is permanent, but her story proves otherwise. By daring to create, she made a positive switch, transforming pain into purpose, despair into creation, loneliness into connection. She did not deny her brokenness—she used it as the very foundation of her new beginning. This is the heroic alchemy of the human spirit: to take the ashes of sorrow and forge them into the fire of hope.

The lesson is clear: when you feel most powerless, do not retreat into silence. Act. Create. Reach outward. The smallest effort to bring joy to another may spark your own healing. Life can always be begun again. The past may weigh heavy, but a single decision—a positive switch—can set you upon a new path, one filled with meaning and light.

To the youth, I say: do not believe the lie that despair is permanent; your voice, your art, your kindness can change the story. To the weary, I say: turn outward, even in your pain, for service and creation may awaken your strength. To all, I say: never underestimate the power of beginning again, even in the smallest of ways.

Practical action lies before us: when burdened by shadows, seek to give, even if only a little. Write words of encouragement, create something joyful, or serve someone in need. Use your energy, however faint, to spark a fire outside yourself. In doing so, you may discover that you too are warmed by the flame you have lit.

Thus Lilly Singh’s words endure: “It was possible to make a positive switch in life and start over.” This is not mere optimism, but the hard-won wisdom of one who faced despair and transformed it. Let this teaching be carried forward: life can always be begun anew, and in bringing light to others, you will find light for yourself. This is the eternal path—out of darkness, through giving, into hope.