"It Gets Better"

[jloebig]

I could not agree more with the latest Sick Puppies message. I did not have the fortune of having a talent to channel my energy, I did however grow to defy the labels pinned on me in me in my early years.
I wanted to share my story and encourage others to share their stories that have found the theory holds true "It Gets Better" Hopefully it will encourage anyone who is at a point where they just can't see it themselves.

[jloebig]

My Story:
I developed much sooner than many of the girls in my class. Which lead to nasty comments in the locker rooms and a reputation that I did not earn. A teacher once told my mother that I should really focus on finding a man with a good job that could support me.
To combat this I had boyfriends that were not really people I enjoyed to be with but more over challenged the stereotypes. I dated controlling boys that got all A's, athletes, very conservative. I also had a very unhealthy diet trying to loose what I perceived as "fat" (I thought if I lost weight all the curves I developed would go away). I hoped all of this would improve my social standing. It got me under the radar but I was never "happy."
Senior year of high school I had my "Maybe" moment. I turned in a paper to my English teacher and it came back with an "A" on it. It also had the comment to see him after class. So I did, he asked that I join his Advanced Placement English class. I declined, I did not want to be in a class with all the people who thought I was not deserving to be there. I did however realize they were WRONG. At that point things began to change. I applied to a University, and got in. I tried out for the school musical, I got in. As these things started to happen my boyfriend who was now at a local University started to dislike the changes. He wanted me to go to Community College, stay home with him, be home when he got home from school and just be there. It wasn't enough for me anymore so I broke up with him.
I moved to college in the fall, I broke ties with most of the people I grew up with and I grew into my own. It was the most freeing experience of my life, I no longer worried about what people thought of me I worried about what I thought about me. I knew I could do and be anything I wanted and what I wanted to be was happy.
Today I am happy, I married a wonderful man that makes me laugh so hard I have tears in my eyes and a belly ache almost daily. I have 2 kids that make my heart swell with pride. I am not rich, I do not have any "brag worthy" material other than I am one of the happiest people I know because I love my life; it is my life the way I made it, not what other people thought it should be.
I am OK not to be an athlete, a muscian, a high powered executive, or a perfect housewife. I am however, more than OK with ME and that is because I realized its not what other people think of me, its what I think of me. I am a working mother, loving wife, a great friend, crazy fun girl who likes to have fun, loves music and crazy ass bands. And as luck would have it, I have a pretty nice rack too. "It gets better"

[kamieleanne]

Aww, that's inspiring.

I've had depression...for well, a while now. And some days I can't even get out of bed. I used to think I'm ugly, and that i didn't like my personality...some days I just wanted to die, or disappear. I wasn't fitting in at school, and I couldnt control running out of class and crying. Then something changed, I learned that I could sing.. I felt comfortable as a person, and started to grow confidence. I started to teach myself guitar,and joined a guitar club... and now i've met new people, better people. Loving, caring people who I'll do anything for.

Without them, God knows what would have happened, and without music, God knows where i'd be.