A Thank You Letter To All Those Who Told Me I Wasn’t Good Enough

To the teacher who didn’t think I was smart enough. Thank you. It’s because of you that I learned how to find my own idea of genius and find a path away from all the textbooks and tests that you thought were for everyone. It’s because of you that I decided to find books that speak to my heart instead of studying books that never evoked my inspiration.

To the parent who didn’t believe in me. Thank you. It’s because of you that I learned the art of rebellion. I learned that just because you brought me into this world doesn’t mean you will lock me inside of it. I learned to find my own voice amidst all the noise you kept trying to tell me. I learned that if you do not lead by example, I am not obliged to follow you.

To the person who never loved me back. Thank you. It’s because of you I learned to love myself. I learned that I do not need your validation or your approval to believe that I am a person who deserve to be immensely loved. I learned that I will fall for a lot of boys who may not love me back, and I learned that as long as I don’t lose myself in the process – love will always be an unpredictable yet delightful experience. I learned that I am capable of being on my own. I learned that I don’t need a man to complete me.

To the friend who backstabbed me. Thank you. It’s because of you that I learned to be careful with who I trust. I learned to pick my friends wisely. I learned that people are not always as they may seem and I learned that some good friendships will end over the most trivial reasons.

To the boss who discounted my opinion. Thank you. You forced me to find another job which made me find a better boss and a better path for me. Every time you would bring me down, I would find a way to build myself back up. You made me find my own identity, you made me walk away with pride. You pushed me to make my dreams happen so I don’t have to ever work for someone like you again.

To the person who made fun of my dreams. Thank you. You made me fight for them even more. By belittling me; you only belittled yourself. You made me realize that some people will always hate what they don’t understand and some people are shallow enough to think that anything that seems unconventional will always be a failure. Thank you for teaching me how not to associate myself with people like you. Thank you for making fall in love with my dreams even more.

To the one who decided he can do better. Thank you. You made me realize I deserve better. You made me put an end to all the excuses I made for people who didn’t treat me well. You made me put an end to all the lies I told myself about people who were clearly wrong for me. And you made me stop trying to change myself for someone else. You made me believe in finding someone who falls in love with who I really am – with all my imperfections.

To anyone who will make me feel like I am not good enough. Thank you in advance. Every time you doubt me, you make me believe in myself even more. Every time you belittle me, I love myself even more and every time you try to destroy me, you make me invincible.