Being bullied is hard on anyone especially when you have no idea why you are being bullied.

That's what happened to me starting in elementary school all the way to high school. Being ignored by a group of people may not seem like being bullied from the outside, but on the inside it feels like complete crap.

Well, maybe I should start from the beginning.

I grew up in a small suburban town where nothing bad ever seemed to happen. Sure, there were those times when a thief would come into our neighborhood or the occasional homeless person would hang out in our parks, but for the most part my neighborhood and I were safe--at least that's what I thought.

But then elementary school started, and things began to change. The friends I had grown up with decided not to be my friends anymore; people began to push me around, and I realized the world was not as safe as I thought.

Now, I want to put a disclaimer in this article: I no longer blame those girls who were mean to me in elementary school for my problems or use them as an excuse for bad behavior. I forgave them all a long time ago, and I truly wish the best for them in the future.

Instead, I want this article to help those who have been through bullying or may be going through it right now. I want to put out awareness for those who may be ignored (It's not OK; it is still a form of bullying).

Now that I got that out of the way, I want to tell you guys how I got through my bullying to become a healthy confident gal heading into her third year of college. Being the victim is not easy. In fact, because of those years in elementary school, I became more and more unsure of myself, and doubt started to creep into my life.

That self doubt is what always held me back. I didn't think I was smart enough to take honors. I didn't think I was pretty enough to talk to handsome guys. I didn't think I was good enough to become anything significant and I didn't think I had enough credentials to get into a nice college.

That is what bullying makes you feel like: insignificant.

Now, some of you might say that I was overreacting or that maybe I didn't fit in to my childhood friend group when we became older. I get it; friendships change over time. But I was not over reacting. I just wanted the truth; I honestly would rather have people say they don't want to be friends anymore than just completely freeze me out.

I know that I have done this to some people as well, and I know that it hurt; to those people I just want to say that I am truly sorry. Psychology suggests that those who get bullied become the bully themselves. I never wanted to become the bully. Once I realized that I did that to some of my former friends, I started working on discussing my problems I have with my current friends rather than just leaving them out to dry. For one, I know how it feels to be left out, and for another, I don't want to make anyone feel the way I did.

This is just one of the many stories out of the thousands of stories of bullying. I just want to tell anyone who is being bullied right now that you are not alone.

There are so many people that have gone through or are going through what you are right now. I never reached out to anyone about my bullying because I didn't fully realize that I was being bullied until later. Not all bullying is physical; remember, there are so many people in your schools, at home or online that are willing to help you if you feel bullied in school.

I had to conquer my insecurities to prove to myself that I was good enough, even if other people didn't think so.

Remember, "You are stronger than you seem, braver than you believe and smarter than you think you are."