This here goes out to the me I used to be. The me who never knew her self-worth, the me who couldn't look in the mirror and like the reflection she saw. The me who didn't have the confidence to be herself. The me who thought she needed to conform to fit in with the crowd.

This here goes out to the me I used to be, because I wouldn't be here today without her. I wouldn't be here today, stronger than ever, happier than ever, and more confident than ever, had I never felt completely and utterly worthless. I wouldn't be able to appreciate the wondrous sensation of feeling incredible in my own skin had I never hated the skin that I was in. I wouldn't be able to push through difficult situations with a smile on my face had I never experienced what it's like to take on endless tear filled hours.

The me I used to be will always be a part of me. She will always be my backbone, my building block. She will always be what keeps me afloat, because although she was me at my weakest, she has created me at my strongest.

The me that I used to be will always be my constant reminder. She will always prove to me how far I have come, that even on those days where I feel like everything is falling apart, I'm actually so much better off than I used to be.

I am not ashamed of the me that I used to be. I will never deny her existence or try to hide any piece of her. She is just as much of me as the me I am today, and the me I will be tomorrow. I will never be ashamed of the lessons that I have learned through her, for without them, I would have found no self improvement.

Though I am not ashamed of the me that I used to be, I am not proud of her either. I am not proud of the way that she made me feel, the pain and the hurt that she caused me to endure. I am not proud of the nights she sent me spiraling into the deepest and darkest of thoughts, because the me I am today is so much more than that.

I am proud of the me that I am today, the me that the me I used to be has led me to. I am proud of the vibrant, carefree, beaming me that I am today. I am proud of the confidence that I have bestowed upon myself, the confidence that allows me to wear a smile each day and completely mean it with all of my heart. I am proud of the battles I have overcome, the obstacles I have surpassed, and the struggles I have untangled.

So, this here goes out to the me I used to be. The me that had no idea that she would turn into what she is today. The me that has worked so hard to get to where she is, and the me that will never turn back.