This is a letter to everyone in my life that has doubted me, tried to stop me, and said that I would never do anything. There are some things I would like to say to you. Not only did I show you wrong, I still am. Every day that goes by, I prove to the world and to myself that no matter what happens or what someone says to me, I will rise above and show them how wrong they are.

To my family members that said I couldn't.

When I was little, I had an amazing childhood. My parents were, and still are, my main supporters and I could not thank them enough. I love you both. But of course there were glitches along the way with "family" members. I put family in quotation marks because while we may share DNA, we will never be family. Not only did you try to play my parents against each other, you tried to humiliate me as well. Coming to my softball games and screaming vulgar names, arriving at my school causing a scene where the cops had to remove you. I was crushed. Not because of what you called me. But because I lost you as a family member. Not only did I attempt to look over the things you had done in the past more than once, but I tried to be a better person and love you like the family you were to me. But you proved to me time and time again that that will never be. You have showed me what true family is (blood or not) and how not to act. Now that I have moved on and realized how much better I am without you, it is like a fogginess has lifted and I can see clearly. I do not need you nor want you in my life.

To the teacher that said I would never be.

You probably had the most impact on my educational career. More than once, you told me that I would never succeed in college if by chance I made it through high school. And when I actually gathered up the courage to ask for help, you laughed as if I was really that stupid to need it. You were a teacher, you were supposed to be helping me learn. But instead, you failed as an educator. I struggled with that subject from that moment on and still do today. You planted in my mind that I was not good at it and should not even try anyways. That was almost five years ago and I still think about it constantly. But now I think about it for a different reason. Yes, I may need a bit more help than others. But I NEVER give up; even when it seems impossible. I ask for help when I need it and I have even helped others. So thank you for doubting me. You made me stronger and made me see that I needed to ignore the ignorance of people like you.

Yes, you doubted me. But look at me now.

When these people told me that I couldn't, it hurt. A lot. But I had the support of my friends, my parents, and of those teachers that did help me and change my life in a good way. I have matured a lot since high school and when I look back on the moments that people tried to stop me, I laugh. I do not use it as an excuse to try and do better. I use it as a life lesson to never doubt others. Even though I have had more people support me rather than bring me down, I remember the ones that doubted me more than anything else. I do not want to do that to anyone no matter what the reason. But instead of trying to prove them wrong, I do it for myself. I am now a junior in college, on the honor tract, a double major, and am graduating in May of 2018. I could have let all of those people get to me, and I may have for a bit. But I overcame the challenges and proved to MYSELF that I was better than them and could do anything I set my mind to.

"Say I won't. Tell me that I can't do it. Tell me that I shouldn't even try. Tell me that it is impossible. Tell me the risk is too high, the challenge too much, or the feat too tough. Tell me that I won't do it AND I WILL."