#Bullied

There was a time when I was so consumed with the way other people viewed me. I lived a childhood of being bullied by other kids. Constantly being told I was ugly, teased for wearing hand me down clothing and judged for being friends with people that weren’t “popular.” People that would do anything for anyone and we’re far better humans than any of the so-called “cool kids” were.
This childhood trauma stuck with me for decades. Spending the majority of my life making sure others were happy and taken care of and viewed me through eyes of acceptance, rarely allowing myself time to make my own happiness a priority. I overanalyzed all of my actions, photos, and social interactions. It all spun me into such a dark pit of depression that affected every aspect of my life.

Moving out of my comfort zone and to New York City will always be the greatest gift I’ve ever given myself. I no longer live a life that allows people to take advantage of me. I’m not concerned with how people perceive my life choices, friendships or my looks.

To all the bullies from my life:
I hope you’ve found a way to work with whatever sadness you were dealing with that caused you to treat someone else so poorly. If you haven’t, I hope it’s in your future. Self-confidence is a much better feeling than arrogance. Trust me.

To all my friends that were bullied and made it out on the other side of this tormenting mess:
Bravo! Live your life. Share your story and be proud of who you became. Post those photos that you see “flaws” in. You’re honestly probably the only one that sees them. Know that I’ve been cheering for you this whole time and will continue to do so.

I wouldn’t change a single thing about my past. If I did, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So thank you to all the terrible people from my past. Thanks for forcing me to see that you don’t actually matter and being true to myself was easier than I ever could have ever imagined.