In life, we live and we learn. We bend so far you never think you’ll go back to who you were before. And there are even some days when you break entirely.

Personally, when I think of broken things, I think about broken glasses, picture frames, bones, mirrors, etc. But the last thing that comes to mind? Broken people. And I firmly believe that at one point or another, we’ve all been broken.

What we don’t think about when it comes to broken people is what pushed them to that point. In order for anything to be broken it has to be pushed, pushed to the point that it can’t hold itself together any longer. And sadly, for some, it’s most often other people who break you.

We’ve all had our fair share of naysayers, the people who talked poorly of you, and those who were constantly looking for something just to bring you down.

So here’s what I have to say to them,

Because of you, I cried at my accomplishments instead of rejoicing. I sat there with my head hanging low just because I knew it wasn’t me you wanted this happiness for.

Because of you, I stared in the mirror with tears in my eyes thinking about how I wasn’t good enough, believing that I would never be good enough to be loved.

Because of you, I questioned my every move, every day knowing that the second I slipped up, you’d be there to comment.

Because of you, I was terrified to pursue my dreams because I was scared to see you laugh if I failed.

Because of you, I thought it was normal to constantly give in a relationship and get nothing in return.

But, because of you I found that it was never you tearing me down in the first place. It was me. Something I’ve continuously forgotten is these people who I’ve placed so much power upon really have no power whatsoever. I’m the only one who can decide whether what they say will affect me.

So now I say thank you to everyone who’s ever made me feel low because it's you who’s allowed me to build myself back up again into something better.