I was Bullied.
People say that if you cry about something, you truly care about it.
I think one of the reasons to why Bullying (as an issue) is something that speaks to me so much is because I’ve been bullied before. Being bullied does several things to a person, it makes them question themselves, it hurts, it makes a person angry, and it lowers your self esteem. But being bullied also makes you see the world in a different light, it helps you see what kindness can do, and how even the tiniest act of being nice can turn a painful situation into a hopeful one.
In elementary school, I remember being a top student but being liked by your teachers, doesn’t necessarily translate into being liked by your peers. Not to mention, I was quiet, and shy and funny enough, I drew my confidence through public speaking. See, I had no problem with speaking to large crowds, but it was speaking or making friends that was hard. Long sob story short, during the days that weren’t so nice, I would be blessed to have one person (who I didn’t know) either throw a smile my way, have a short conversation about my day or even stand up for me. And that friends, for a 9 year old, meant the world.
The point of this story is..
Bullying happens everywhere, and at any age! SO, focus less on the bullying or labelling a child as a bully, and more towards what we can do to make someone’s day better. And if that’s a smile or hello, then do just that!
#PinkItForward
Wear your Pink Shirt Day t-shirt on February 24th and stop bullying in style. Tweet and Instagram your photos using the hashtag #pinkshirtday and don’t forget that you can get your own official PSD t-shirt exclusively @londondrugs!