I’ve received a lot of help over the years.
This journey has been tough, but there were people who believed in me,
Who supported me,
Who gave me just the right words at just the right time,
And I got through it.
But for every person who believed in me, there were a hundred who didn’t.
And for every person who supported me, there were dozens who wanted to tear me down.
And for every word of kindness, there was a cruel and mocking taunt, a thoughtless swipe on social media.
(It hurts.)
There is a saying that ‘success is the best form of revenge’. And for a while I let myself be seduced by that.
Like, “Here you go, troll. Here’s a photo of my helicopter. How do you like those apples?”
But that’s not the person I want to be.
And the truth of it is, those people made me who I am. They made me tougher, more resilient, more determined.
They helped me build the inner resources I would need to achieve everything that I have.
Swords must be forged in flame. They must be beaten into shape.
It can be hard at times, but we all need this. Success doesn’t come to the soft.
And so today, I am grateful.
This goes out to the haters, To the nay-sayers, To the trolls, and every voice crying out in their hurt and self hate.
Today, I say thank you.
You made me who I am.