By: Bryler Chadwick
I used to have to leave my house to feel bad about myself. But now that all you bullies can attack me with posts of your promotions, life events, and sun-drenched getaways with smiley, sexy significant others, you can make me feel like a loser in my own bed! Okay, so you’re not directly calling me a useless piece of shit, but whether it’s in person or online, I know you’re all just flaunting your “best life” to prove you’re better than me. And that my “friend” is bullying!
What’s worse is that I’m not particularly good at anything, so most people are better than me at most things. Which means I’m surrounded by bullies! You might have had one bully growing up, but I have countless sadistic individuals who get off on my failures. This teenager skated around me in Monday night beer league even though I’ve played hockey longer than he’s been alive. Bullying! This cat has way more instagram followers than me. Bullying! This Domino’s pop-up ad shows 4 people sharing an extra large, while I’m over here eating one solo – cyber bullying!
I just overheard a co-worker saying her son was potty trained at 2 years old! Was she just trying to make me feel bad for being potty trained at 3? You bet your ass she was! Bullying!
And I’m not one of these “haters”. I’m a nice person who wants everyone to succeed. So why can’t you all want the same for me? I could have abs too but no one yanks me out of bed and offers to personally train me like in the movies! I could get a 4 year degree but I don’t want to, and that’s probably bullying too. I could be poolside right now, but you and your family didn’t invite me to Cancun ’cause apparently I “take everything too personally”! Exclusion is one of the ugliest forms of bullying!
The worst part is that these people who go to the gym or college or Cancun all have the nerve to tell me I can improve too! Well I’m here to tell you I can’t, and that’s exactly why it’s bullying!
You hear all about these “safe spaces” but if I’m made to feel terrible about myself at work, at hockey, and even on my own couch, where’s the safety? Maybe out in the woods, but oh wait, survival shows like ‘Alone’ have shown me that people are way better than me at that! I probably wouldn’t last more than a few days since I have absolutely no experience or resilience!
I guess I’ll just have to keep enduring the torment. But I’ll be the bigger person here. You can keep working hard on your career, relationships, and physique ’cause it boosts your confidence and self-worth, but treating everyone as your competitor in some constant game of who’s better than who… I honestly just feel sorry for you.
