APPLE SEEDS, by Kimberly S

“Sometimes, the only way to break a cycle is to change direction…and focus your attention not on the bully but on salvaging what is left of yourself.  It has been my experience, that no one changes unless they want to… and for many bullies, even bad attention is still attention.  They equate it with love or fulfillment. You can try to understand a bully’s motivations and make all the rationalizations you want for their behavior, but you are not responsible for “fixing” them at the expense of yourself.  As hard as it can be to admit it sometimes,  there are situations that simply cannot be resolved well. No matter what you do, you simply can’t get the positive outcome you desire — but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a different positive outcome.   In these cases, find a reason to make a break.  Stand up where you can, for yourself, or for someone else.  Surround yourself with positive, enthusiastic people who do appreciate you  — you’d be surprised how much that can help!  Ask for help if you need it and when you need it, and have the good sense to step back and walk away.  A bully cannot move on.  A bully will always always be trapped in a childish rut and will always use his/her insecurities as reasons to lash out at you.  That doesn’t have to be your life, though. You CAN move on and more importantly, you can choose not to pass on their poison.  Acknowledge that the bullies of your life were a part of your past, but don’t give them control over your future.  Prove ’em wrong!  Show ’em up!  Live your life happily, willfully, with great determination, and leave all of those bullies in the dust!”