Imagine yourself, your personality, your morals, your habits, etc. if absolutely nobody, not a single person, impacted your life in some way.
Pretty hard to imagine, right? Nobody helped you figure out right from wrong. Nobody held your hand as you made pathetic mistakes. Nobody shaped your beliefs or preferences, or helped you find your true personality. If nobody helped make you into the person you are today, who would you truly even be? Now believe me, I'm not trying to blow your minds here by any means. This is just to show you that you really wouldn't be yourself if it wasn't for the people around you, the people that have impacted your life in both positive and negative ways. This is a thank you for everyone, no matter how small, that has made me into the person I am today. The person I am proud to be today.
To my childhood best friend: The one person who has seen me cry from skinned knees to heartbreaks. You know my entire life and you have been there guiding the way since the very beginning. We know our every flaws, what makes us smile inside and what just pisses us off constantly. As life catches up to us, we may sadly start growing apart, but because we helped make each other's personalities so similar, it feels like you have never left, and I'm so thankful for that.
To my first crush: You helped me realize how pathetic I can truly be. You showed me how far I'd really go to try to impress someone. You showed me (or at least I thought at the time) what love really was. You was beyond willing to change everything, from my appearance to my personality, just to maybe get the slightest acknowledgement from you. And in the end, after all the young, immature gushing over you was over, you made me realize it's not worth it to change myself to try to please you.
To my academic mentor(s): You made me realize that my passions and career goals are certainly worth striving for. You helped me realize a true dream job with me actually in the picture. You guided me through tough, stressful decisions and helped me realize my strengths and weaknesses when it came to my future career. Because of you, I feel like my future career goals are slowly piecing themselves together, and I couldn't have done it without you encouraging me throughout the process.
To my "haters:" You made me realize that I can't please everybody, and I need to accept that. You gave me a backbone and helped me understand that some things I just need to "Shake It Off" (Taylor Swift pun totally intended). You helped me stand up for what I believe in and not be afraid to go against the status quo if needed. You gave me the courage I needed to actually start focusing on people that matter most to me.
To my siblings: Also known as that little piece of childhood that just never goes away. There is nobody that understands you more than your family or siblings. From inside jokes, to family vacations, to (both good and bad) unexpected experiences, you shaped me in the most family-oriented way and I couldn't be more grateful. Although sometimes we fight or grow apart, we know that whether we like it or not, we're always connected.
To my past relationships: You made me realize what's worth hanging onto and what's worth letting go of. You gave me the perfect learning lesson and helped me understand what is toxic for my well-being and what I should look for in someone new. I don't regret anything by any means, because it made me the stronger person I am today and I couldn't be happier.
To the "cheerleaders:" I love you all so much. They might be your best friend or a complete stranger, but for some reason they just always care. They're the ones that build you up through positive texts, random acts of kindness and unconditional love. They are the people you want more of, but sometimes they're just really hard to find.
To my organization: Whether that's a sports team, a club, a sorority or the group of people you relate to the most, these are the people I am forever grateful for. The people that understand me, love me with all of my pathetic flaws, and build me up even when it seems like everything in life is tearing me down. They've watched me grow and learn from my mistakes, as I have helped them do the same. I realized I don't have to change to please them or in order to fit in, because we all have the same ideas, passions and overall drive in life. And that is what I love most.
From friends to family to the little people in life, everyone around us helps us become the people we are today. You may not realize it at first, but there are some people in life who are better to let go of, and there are others you forever want to hold onto.
To everyone, thank you for making me the person I am today.
Because I am proud of who I am today.
