The Importance of Overcoming Bullying

They say that change makes you stronger. I’ve moved more times than I can count, from Newfoundland to British Columbia, British Columbia to Ontario, and even in those new provinces and new cities, I’ve moved from school to school, house to house. I used to tell myself it was an adventure. New places, new beginnings. But what no one tells you about constantly starting over is how lonely it can feel. When you’re always the “new kid,” you become a ghost in the hallways before you even get the chance to exist.

And with that, other problems can arise. 

Bullying doesn’t always come in the form of bruises or punches. Sometimes, it’s people’s laughter that makes you feel hollow inside. Sometimes, it looks like being left out, like being physically present but emotionally invisible. I’ve been on the receiving end more times than I’d like to admit. I still remember in BC, when some kids threatened to push me into a bush of blackberries. And not in a “haha, just joking!” kind of way. It made me wonder if showing up to school the next day was even worth it.

They yelled in my ears, laughed at me when I tried to speak up, and made sure I knew I didn’t belong. And the worst part? I started believing them.

One day, I was standing alone in the school field in BC, and something just clicked. I realized I couldn’t keep mourning the fact that I was being bullied. I didn’t want to live in a story where the only voices I heard were the ones trying to tear me down. That was the turning point.

This isn’t a story about what bullying is; we already know that. And it’s not even about how to completely stop bullying, that’s a bigger conversation we all need to keep having. This is about when it’s already happening. When the words hurt. When the silence is heavier than the noise. When you’re right in the middle of it.

Why Overcoming Bullying Matters

Overcoming bullying isn’t just about surviving the moment, it’s about refusing to let someone else write your story for you. When we overcome bullying, we take back control. We remind ourselves that we are more than what others say or think. And in doing so, we create space for healing, growth, and confidence to rise where fear once lived. It’s not about forgetting what happened, it’s about building something stronger from it.

Step One: Remember Who You Are

When I was being picked on, I remember trying to change everything about myself. The way I spoke, the way I dressed, the things I said. I thought if I blended in more, maybe they would stop noticing me. But all that did was make me lose parts of who I really was. People could sense I wasn’t being myself, and honestly, that made them pick on me even more than before.

But then I remembered where I came from. A rich culture, family values, and stories that matter. Trying to erase that, to shrink myself down just to “fit in”, wasn’t fair to myself.

Standing out doesn’t mean you’re wrong. It just means you’re different. And different is not only okay, it’s powerful.

Step Two: Don’t Fight Fire with Fire

I used to think that if I yelled back or made them feel small, they’d finally stop. But here’s the truth: anger doesn’t heal anything. It might feel satisfying in the moment, but it only adds more fuel to a spark that was never meant to become a fire.

What helped me wasn’t revenge, it was reflection. I started talking to adults I trusted and opening up to friends who actually saw me—not the version others tried to label me as. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do isn’t to fight back, but to speak up. Tell someone. Ask for help. You don’t have to go through it alone, even if it feels like you are.

Step Three: Rewrite the Narrative

For the longest time, I believed being bullied meant I was weak; that I wasn’t cool enough, or strong enough, or just not enough the way I am. But the truth is this: people often bully out of their own insecurities. Being targeted doesn’t mean you’re less than; it means someone saw a light in you they didn’t know how to handle.

So, I started rewriting my story. Not with pen and paper (although that helped too), but in my mind. Instead of thinking, “They hate me,” I thought, “They don’t know me yet.” Instead of “I don’t belong,” I told myself, “I just haven’t found my people.” It sounds simple, but it changed everything. Slowly, I stopped trying to disappear. I let myself just be. Be present, be open, and be me.

In conclusion, bullying doesn’t stop the moment you stand up for yourself. But it does lose its power when you reclaim your voice. I wish I could say I never went through those things, but in a strange way, I’m glad I did. Because now I know the strength it takes to stay kind in a world that sometimes isn’t. I know what it’s like to feel small and still rise. I know how it feels to finally breathe after holding it in for so long. After going through the feeling of loneliness and being left out, I know the sweetness of belonging and finding your people. Sometimes all it takes is some persistence and patience for you to find the right path. 

So, if you’re reading this and you’re in that dark hallway, metaphorically or literally, know this: you are not alone. You are not broken. And most of all, you don’t have to become what others say you are. You’re the author here. Pick up the pen. Write your way forward.