Welcome to day 2!
This is a big life lesson for me. (Possible trigger warning) For years I was bullied, between school girls to older boys to next door neighbors I truly let everyone walk all over me. I had a lot of haters when I was younger, if I told the crazy stories of restraining orders and cops called to deal with the threats. I don't say this for attention or to be a "pick me" girl but to tell you why I chose to stop letting haters affect me and start using it to motivate me. Of course it's a lot easier said than done, and it takes a lot of practice to overcome these challenges, but think of the things you can accomplish. I wish someone had told me that the greatest haters could become your biggest reason why.
For me, these haters motivated me to take care of myself, both physically and mentally. They called me unhealthy? I started eating and working out in a way that made me feel good. I stopped caring about what I looked like due to their words (this is apart from my eating disorder though). They said I was dumb? A dumb blonde? I worked hard, studying for hours, pulled all nighters like nothing. I may have not applied myself the best in high school but my 4.0 senior year, and the 4.0 I've held the last 2 semesters in college say otherwise. They told me I wouldn't get anywhere? I write for the Odyssey, run a business, am a nursing major and have a job I love. They told me I would be forever alone? Sometimes love doesn't come from a significant other but yourself and the people you directly surround yourself with. Well, the people around me have been the best things that have happened to me in a long time.
I give these examples, because it is possible. To take back what they try to control. It is your life, it is your choice. People project what they feel about themselves onto each other, and sometimes it's detrimental to who hears these words.
Just remember, with letting them motivate you there is always the risk of overdoing it. It's finding balance to motivate yourself and prove them wrong without becoming obsessed and creating a toxic cycle. Like life, there are ups and downs, there are highs and lows, this comes with letting haters motivate you as well. Let them push you, let them open your eyes to your passions and what makes you happy, but don't let them dictate and over run your life.
