If I remember right, I believe I've shared this video on my blog before. When something speaks to be so strongly, I have to share it. Over and over. There are times when the video can mean something completely different to me than it did six months ago. For some strange reason, this video resurfaced itself into my life, and gave me some more hope right when I was about to become hopeless. **Update: For some strange reason, this video has stopped working. So if you want to watch it, click here.
In junior high, in 7th and 8th grade, I was bullied pretty roughly. It was always on the school bus and always from 3 boys. Just 3 boys. I would come home, cry, sit in the bathtub and soak my swollen shins that were kicked. I constantly wondered why I was even going through this. I was a good girl and a very good person - why I was I being put through this? I wasn't necessarily depressed. But I was bullied to the point where I hated myself. It took YEARS to rebuild that love that I needed for myself. High school was great, and so was college. With some bumps along the way, I found myself, and I loved myself. Then, I found a worthy amazing man that loved me even more than I loved myself. And I soon realized that loving yourself makes all the difference.
Senior year of high school, my aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends were asking me what college I was going to attend. After explaining that I would be studying social work, here are the responses I got.
*"You do realize that you're not going to get paid anything, right? Why would you do that?"
*"We all know that you are only going to college to get married. Then you'll drop out."
*"Nobody in your family has graduated. You really think you're going to be the one?"
My feelings were all over the place. My parents and siblings, thank goodness, were always supportive. Though I have changed my major multiple times, I still ended up with a career that would allow me to, "Not make very much money." But wouldn't you rather do something you love and not make a ton of money instead of waking up every morning dreading work? Two years into my education, I got married. I took another two year break. I even had a few "I told you so's." I have gone back to school, and though it is hard, it makes me press forward and work even harder when I have people that don't support me. This video made me feel like they really are wrong. I am going to prove them wrong. More importantly, I am going to do this for me. It may take me years and years, but who cares? Accomplishment is accomplishment & I will never put timeline on a college degree. This quote in the video struck me. Hard.
Certain people in my life may not believe in me. The weak may tempt me to give up occasionally. But the bullies are wrong. And the minute you tell yourself that and convince yourself of it, you will succeed.