Dear self,

I look at my life now and think back to how different it was just several years ago. Middle school was so miserable for me. I was awkward, shy, introverted, had very few friends, and extremely insecure. I felt so out of place and disconnected from everyone around me. I felt abandoned, isolated, and lonely. I kept a lot of my feelings and emotions to myself because I felt like no one would understand what I was going through. To add to the mix of emotions, I was also bullied and verbally abused. I was bullied for being smart, an over-achiever, and also because I avoided confrontation at all costs. I felt hopeless and defenseless. That is until I went to high school.

High school was like a breath of fresh air. It was a chance for me to start over and to reinvent myself. I attended an all-girls Catholic high school, which was weird and strange at first because I went to a co-ed middle school. I loved going to school with all girls because you didn't have to impress anyone. You didn't have to worry about shaving (to a certain extent), putting on make-up, or even combing your hair. It was a safe zone for me to just be myself. I adapted to my new environment extremely well, and for once, I felt like I belonged somewhere. The girls at school became my rock, and I confided in many of them. I went to a small school, so that also made a difference. I gained the courage to put myself out there and get involved so that I could meet more people. I joined the basketball team, peer ministry, bike club, and other activities that intrigued me. Through involvement, I was able to form so many friendships. I became a completely different person from who I was in high school. I was happy, joyful, and ultimately felt accepted and loved.

Insecurities can be setbacks for people, but only if you allow them to be. I allowed my insecurities to determine and to control how I felt on the inside, which ultimately affected me on the outside. When I made the decision to change my negative thoughts into positive thoughts, the results were amazing. I am happy that I was finally able to break free of my insecurities and to focus on motivating myself and building trusting relationships with my peers. What they say about self-love is no joke: "you can't love others until you learn to love yourself first."