To The Girl Who Was Bullied Growing Up

To the girl who was picked on, laughed at, or bullied growing up, I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been there and I’ve got you.

To the girl who felt lonely…

To the girl who was joked about her looks…

To the girl who was excluded and left out…

To the girl who shrunk when she knew the answers in class and was too timid to speak up…

To the girl who deeply wanted the acceptance and approval of others…

To the girl who was socially awkward…

To the girl who hid in the girls’ bathroom to get away from who and what she was afraid of…

To the girl who wasn’t really into designer label clothing…

To the girl who got stared down by the mean girls…

To the girl who panicked about where she’d sit in the cafeteria and with who…

To the girl who felt like she never really fit in…

To the girl who liked the guy who didn’t notice her back…

I want you all to know that things get better. They really do.

Being ignored, counted out, different, isolated, joked about, and misunderstood may have caused some emotional trauma and painful memories, but you’re going to be okay. If I made it through, I know you can too.

It takes time, but it’s possible.

You’re in charge of the rest of your story, and the people who bullied you can’t hurt you anymore.

You can still have a good life, and you are worthy of an incredible one full of hope, happiness, peace, laughter, and joy.

The guys and girls who picked on you back then, who made fun of the way you looked, how you dressed, where you came from, and how you spoke, made a major mistake.

They had no idea that in those moments that they thought they were breaking you down, they were really building you up. They were strengthening you for the road ahead. As cruel as things may have seemed at the time, those experiences were shaping you and grooming you and building you into someone who would be great someday. Someone who was already great all along. Even if it’s taken you a long time to realize that.

Want to know something else? The small world and hierarchy of elementary school, middle school, and high school cliques, clubs, groups, and who was “most popular” and “most likely to…” lists won’t matter when you grow up.

I promise.

The things people made fun of you for won’t matter either. Because you, beautiful, were blossoming. And you still are.

Your “nerdiness” was intelligence.

Your “geekiness” wasn’t as geeky as they claimed. You were brave enough to be yourself when others were scared to be who they really were inside.

You were never a “loser,” even if they called you that word. There was always a winner in you waiting to flourish when you were ready to see her.

You were never “lame” either. I’m guessing you were more awesome than you may have realized.

I bet some of the same girls who picked on you may try to “friend” and “follow” you on social media when they see how amazing you and your life has turned out. You might even find that some of them haven’t changed. Sadly, some girls don’t grow out of that mean girl stage.

I imagine some of the guys who laughed and picked on you (even that crush you always wanted to notice you who wouldn’t give you the time of day) will try hitting on you, and you probably won’t be interested in him at all. You’ll see.

And all the experiences you had will make you a better person who steps with confidence and a new voice and beautiful spirit. You can and will lift others up. And you can stand up for any and everyone who’s ever been too scared or too shy or too frightened to stand up for themselves too.

I bet you never realized how cool you’d turn out to be one day. Beauty, brains, unapologetically you and all.

So, to the girls who were bullied growing up, stay amazing.

I will always be cheering each and every one of you on.

I told you it gets better. It really does.