I was born and raised in Marseille, in the south of France, in a French-Canadian family. As the eldest of my siblings, I was a quiet and introverted child, but curious and always eager to learn. At a very early age, I was identified as HIP (“gifted”) and described as “ahead” for my age: adults found me mature and intelligent, but children my age thought I was weird and awkward.

This difference confronted me early on with the fear of rejection. Social anxiety and experiences of bullying at school pushed me to become the embodiment of the “good girl”: the one who does everything to please, to be accepted, and who hides her vulnerabilities. I learned to mask what made me unique, and I rarely felt like I belonged.

After high school, since I had always been a good student and both my parents worked in law, I naturally gravitated toward studying law and political science. I first studied at university, then at Sciences Po, with the idea of working in international public relations.

For a long time, I relied on my academic abilities. But over time, certain difficulties began to arise: boredom became more and more prevalent, and I found it difficult to stay focused and productive for long periods of time.

From there, my mental health quickly deteriorated : I suffered from depression for nearly two years, along with frequent anxiety and panic attacks but. also eating disorders that led me to obsessively care about my body and weight. In 2019, looking for a little motivation in my (very unhealthy) weight loss journey, I created the Back to Basics account (now BT Basics) on Instagram to share recipes and motivation tips.

Over time, this account became a space where I also documented my personal journey and my growing interest in psychology and personal growth. I then realized that behind my obsession with my appearance was actually a deep need for self-confidence, self-love, and inner transformation.