To all my friends. To all my haters. To all those who have judged me. You haven't defeated me.

I've been made fun of for my clothes. I've been made fun of for my acne. I've been criticized and judged and speculated from head to toe. From left to right. From inside and out. We live in a world that makes girls feel insecure about their bodies. We live in a world where girls are pressured by media. To look like the Victoria Secret models we see on TV. To look like the girls and guys in the magazines. We live in a world of judgement.

Constantly being scrutinized for my acne, I started to get agitated by everyone around me. From my friends to my family to everyone who had asked "whats wrong with her face?" I can still feel the tears run to down my face and my neck. I can feel that urge of a 10 year old girl to just breakdown. The urge to just run away. I know I'm not the prettiest girl in the world. I know I don't have the most beautiful skin. I know I have acne, but that's a part of growing up. And I don't need that constant reminder.

I don't need someone to tell me that I'm not good enough. Because I know I am good enough. I am good enough for me. If there is one thing I've learned from listening to everyone talk about me its that everyone will have their own opinion about you and label you, but you have the strength to let it go through one ear and out the ear.

I don't hate anyone and neither should anyone else. I don't have enemies and neither should anyone else. Being judged for all these years, I stand with the children who have been laughed at, the people who have been made fun of. I stand with you. No one is perfect and we've been taught that since we were young, however, not all of us have learned to accept it. With the constant need to post selfies and compete with the number of likes we have, we try to boost our self esteem. But what's the point of that? That's the problem of our generation.

So to all my haters, all I want to say is thank you. Thank you for judging me and pointing out my flaws. Thank you for letting me know that I'm not perfect. Thank you for letting me know I have a bigger heart than you. Just thank you. You have made me the strongest person I have ever been. You have taught me to love myself. You have made me become the best version of myself. You have made me happy. And for that I'm grateful.

So thank you friends, thank you strangers, thank you aunties and uncles of the Indian community. You didn't defeat me. I won this battle in life.