Choosing Myself: No Longer Last

I have often put myself on the back burner for others—even to the point of not receiving a simple thank you. I know they say we’re not supposed to look for acknowledgment, but sometimes it hurts when the things I've done go unnoticed. I remember doing so much for certain people, only to hear that I did “nothing” in their eyes. In the end, I was left with nothing but experience. For some, that may be the greatest reward, but for me, it doesn't mean it doesn’t sting.

I've come to the conclusion that it's time to put myself first. If I treat myself like I'm last, what can I expect others to treat me as? We teach people how to treat us, and if I act as if they’re more important than I am, that’s exactly how I’ll be treated. I'm at a point in my life where I no longer want to “play small” about myself. I’ve realized that I mean something, that I am worth something.

I'm beginning to love and embrace myself. When you've lived a life where others constantly judged you or criticized you for the smallest things, you realize how important it is to silence those voices—especially when they start becoming your own. I found myself echoing others' judgments until I nearly hated myself. I couldn’t keep going that way. I hit my breaking point, and I needed a change. That change was learning to put myself first, to love and embrace myself.

I couldn’t shrink myself any longer. I didn’t fit into that small space anymore. This side of life feels so much greater, and I love it!