To the people who didn’t believe in me,

First, I would like to say thank you. You were the ones who brought me down and the ones who made me think I couldn't achieve my goals. You made me question my intelligence, my skills, my drive, and my purpose. There were periods of time when you laughed as I explained my aspirations. You condescendingly explained why I was not capable of certain things.

Your negativity was the reason that I pushed myself harder in order to be successful. I wanted to prove to you as well as everyone else who ever doubted my capabilities that I could do it. You are the reason I am standing here today, better and stronger than ever and wanted to thank you.

Thank you for showing me that people in the world will doubt me, and that I will prove them wrong.

I used your doubts to ignite my conviction that I would succeed. Your doubt made me want it more and gave me an “enemy” to fight against. The challenges your bombarded me with unleashed my competitive juices and my desire to win.

Thank you for showing that even when I fail, I am able to find the strength to get up and try again.

In many situations I took the greater risk, hoping that it would lead to a greater reward -- but sometimes was short of my goal. However, which each failure I faced it poised me to be the best person I could possibly be.

Thank you for your false impression of who I am.

Maybe your perception of me was based off of something I said one day, an outfit I wore, the pitch of my voice, the color of my skin or something someone said about me. Regardless, you must not have known me very well to doubt my future self.

Thank you for making me question myself.

Perhaps there was a small bit of truth behind your criticism. It is because of your skepticism and disbelief that I am who I am today. You see, I didn’t just want to prove you wrong, I wanted to prove myself wrong for even thinking there was a possibility that you were right.

Thank you for giving me the strength to work harder, and that even if I fail I will get up and try again.

If I didn’t know something, I taught myself. If I wanted something, I worked for it.

Thanks for forcing me to learn to not care what others think of me.

I may not be perfect. I sometimes mess up and don't do things by the books. But I have learned to utilize my flaws and use them to help me become a better person.

Thank you for building my up confidence.

With every accomplishment came even more belief that I could do anything. I could prove you wrong. I could reach my dream.

Thank you for allowing me to understand.

Everyday, I’m learning. I’m teaching myself that there will always be people who doubt me, people who criticize and people who judge. I am constantly learning that those people are just the individuals who truly do not understand, and that’s okay.

Thank you for opening my eyes.

You might be off discriminating against someone else rather than focusing on your own imperfections, but still, you instilled in me the need to focus on the things I love about myself. You helped me hone in on what I think I need to improve.

Thank you for showing me who I don’t want to be.

Finally, you infused in me the fact that you are not someone I want to become. I do not want to become someone who underestimates another person who believes in him or herself.

Each day I am getting closer to accomplishing what you said couldn’t be done — you just wait and see. Throughout the battle, I’ve learned one important thing: While you may have been the match to light the fire, I am the ever burning flames. Ultimately, I’m where I am thanks to my own choices. I have full control of my life, where I choose to go and the type of person I wish to become.

You were a blessing in disguise. I thought this whole time that you were only here to bring me down and make me think I couldn't accomplish anything. But you are just what I needed, someone to push me to strive to do my best. For that, I thank you.

Sincerely,

The person you didn’t believe in