Thank you to the person who said I couldn’t.
In life we all have people who build us up, help us, and who are proud to watch us succeed; and then unfortunately we all of those people who pretend to want us to do well and when you do they just want to tear you down. They fill your head with every reason why you don’t deserve what you received after all that hard work. This could be anyone, a classmate, a teammate, a family member, a random stranger, and sadly even a best friend. You would never expect the one person who is supposed to have your back after more than half your lifetime being together would turn and try to tear you down.
After years of having each other’s back with the endless laughs, memories, boyfriend drama, family secrets and feuds, and going to the ends of the universe for each other, and then you realize you have actually been alone this entire time is almost unbelievable but true. Every time they did well on something you gave that your full attention to show how proud you are of them, but when you try to relate and show you have done similar to that because you feel forgotten but then it is just simply brushed off is discouraging. But no big deal because you are so happy to see them achieve what they wanted. Then when it is finally your time to shine and talk about what your goals are and then you are then shot down immediately isn’t OK. They think they are more experienced and more knowledgeable but really they have barely done anything in regards to what you want to do. This is something we have all experienced, but at the time you don’t want to say anything because you have always valued their opinion, but don’t let their words discourage you. Let that be you the match to start the fire, prove them wrong.
After being told not to get my hopes up to actually achieving my dream goals, I want to thank the person who shot me down after all of these years. Without you, I would have never had that extra fire in my determination to prove to you I am worth more than what you say. I had a plan for myself, a perfect plan, and I wanted to protect that dream plan. I came close to giving up and giving into the toxic words that brought me down but then I remembered what I have already done and remember what I can do. My senior year of high school people told me I couldn't get a multi-billion dollar company to listen to me but I did, and with their support of my ideas I used that in a project and placed 2nd Internationally in a club called DECA. With my partner, we beat thousands of projects and no one thought we could do that, but we did. People told me I couldn't work 40 hours a week as the manager of an Asphalt and Seal coating company and be in high school but I did. Even if it is just small things like making dean’s list, getting a perfect score on an exam you studied so hard for, or big things like setting your dreams to reality don't let anyone hold you back. I once spoke to someone I knew really well about my plan to set my goal of getting an internship this summer at a really great company. Right after I said that I got the “from my experience in my job this summer I wouldn’t aim that high, you will just be doing little office jobs that big company is out of your reach.” I almost believed that. Then I remembered that I can do that job I have the skills I need, I can represent myself, I can handle the pressure, I can get myself a position in that company, I can do this. So I did and more.
There will always be people in your way pushing you down, but that is life. I know I am not the only one that as gone through this, there are others out there and I had to break the silence. There is too much negativity, we need more people who support each other. Once I stopped listening to all the people telling me I couldn’t do something is when I realized I was already doing all the things they told me I couldn’t. That was something they couldn’t do themselves. Whoever is trying to bring you down and steer you away from your goals and dreams is already below you, and I removed that right form my life. As hard as it was, I still need to thank them for helping me get to where I am because without being beaten down I would have never had the courage to prove you wrong; and now I’m in a place I never thought I would be. So thank you, I hope somewhere down the line I can see you succeed as much as me and even more but without having to be torn down to get there like you did to me.
