By: Hedayette

This is a message to everyone who judged me. A message to everyone who left my side when I needed them the most. A message to everyone who was a backstabber. A message to everyone who didn’t give me a second chance. A message to everyone who called me fat, ugly, or worthless. I thought that I was nothing without you,

I thought that you were the air that I needed to breathe, but that isn’t true. Through all the relationships I’ve had, I tried to find someone that would be there for me. Someone who would support me and help me up whenever I’m down.  I was so blinded by the negativity and constant need for someone that I wasn’t able to see that the one person I needed was right there the entire time. She was there since the moment I was born, literally. She was there every time I looked in the mirror. She was there through every laugh and tear. She was there during the sorrow and the happiness. That girl is me. I tried for so many years to ignore the words of others, and I’m going to be completely honest: it’s not possible. You may choose not to show how it affects you, but all of us, deep down, know that it hits us hard. But as I grew up, I learned that I don’t have to ignore it, and instead, I can turn it into something positive. So since that revelation, I decided that every comment or judgment I got, the good and the bad, I would write down. I have to admit, it was hard at first, to see how people viewed me right there so bluntly put on a piece of paper. But as I wrote, the more the positive things outshined the bad, and soon enough, the good things were so bright that I couldn’t even see the bad anymore

So even though you hurt me, I want to thank each and every one of you. Thank you for teaching me to depend on myself. Thank you for helping me learn that all I needed was me. Thank you for encouraging me to improve and work on myself. Thank you for teaching me the importance of self-love and care. Thank you for showing me that your opinions are what I needed to become who I am today. I am nowhere near who I want to be, but I know that every day, I’m a step closer. So as you read this, think about how I’m judging you right now, you feeling any better?