A week ago, I sat in the garden with my parents. We talked about many things. The topic of childhood came up. My parents and I discussed the good and the not-so-good memories we had. Mentioning one particular experience made me very emotional. I visited that old memory to such an extent I burst into tears. I haven’t cried in front of my mum and dad for years. I wasn’t embarrassed, on the contrary, I felt relieved and comforted while surrounded by loved ones.
All through my childhood and teenage years I’ve been bullied, made fun of, laugh at or called names. I am not mentioning this to complain about it; I am writing about it because I want to help you turn your own struggles to your advantage. It is not my intention to go into much detail, but let’s say, there were some kids in the village I grew up who would pick on me on a daily basis. Why me? I wasn’t sure exactly. I was very quiet and shy, and some kids, like the bullies I was surrounded by, are always ready to attack the ones who don’t know how to stand up for themselves. The days of my childhood and teenage years were some of the darkest days of my life. Now, I have a different outlook on it all. They made me stronger as an adult.
What did I gain from this experience?
- I learnt to stand up for myself
- I learnt to speak up for myself (but still have much to learn in this category)
- I learnt to be proud of who I am
- I learnt to put my needs first
- I worked on myself very hard and I can confidently say I’m doing well in life
- I achieved many incredible things
- I learnt to be a strong and independent woman
If you had been bullied as a child or going through a similar experience right now, I can fully relate. Please know, that you have so much power and so much wisdom within you to rise above any challenge you face. First of all, don’t keep it to yourself. Talk to someone about it. There are so many loving and caring people and organisations who would be able to help. When I was bullied, at first, I was afraid to tell my parents. Later, it got so far, I had to. Their support helped me enormously. Don’t wait and also know this: Bullies, whether you encounter them at school, on social media or at work, are insecure individuals who need to pick on others to be seen as powerful. The truth is, there are the weak ones. They are unconsciously showing their weakness by making fun of someone else. They are the ones who are searching for love, support and attention and feel lost.