Hi Everyone, It

Hi everyone,

Its Mercy. Im not moving to the adult side until February for special reasons.

I wrote this because I guess I want to get a lot of things out of my chest. A lot of things Ive been wanting to tell the community.

These past few days have been rough. I have been struggling with anxiety and inadequacy for months now. Ive always felt as though I am not good enough. I compare myself to others a lot, and this is bad when youre in an elite program with overachievers. Sometimes, I even get scared of really good listeners here because their presence remind me of how I feel inadequate as a listener. I also made some minor accidental plagiarism on a paper I did for an internship, and even though nothing is happening, I fear it will ruin my whole reputation and no one will trust me again. And now Ive felt as if my life is ruined.

I am saying all of this to you.. because... I dont want anyone to be scared of me. From my observance Im typically perceived to be a very good listener and someone who has it all together. In fact, sometimes I am not a good listener. I still need to work on my boundaries and professionalism, and these have given me some trouble.

in reality, sometimes the people who go through things are the people whom you least expect to go through insecurity and pain. I want you all to feel loved and safe around me. That I will never judge you and I will always encourage you with the truth, because I know this feeling of being not enough.

For some of us, we are constantly being told we are not enough by our parents, teachers, and most of all, ourselves. Why cant I be like him? Why cant I be like this person? Why cant I do enough? But in reality, we are comparing our weaknesses to others strengths. In a video game, would you think a mage is worse than a knight, simply because the knight has more HP? No, because the mage has huge attacks, long range, and the ability to bypass armour. This is the same in real life. Just because someone is academically stronger than you doesnt mean they are better. Just because someone is more confident doesnt mean they are better. We all have our strengths, and or weaknesses. And no one is objectively better than another. We are better than others in some areas, and worse in others. But in the end, its when we come together as one, have all our strengths merge, and create greatness. Sometimes, I remind myself of my strengths, like my active listening skills, ability to think critically and use words to my advantage in writing. What are your strengths? I love you and believe in you unconditionally for the person you are.

I also wanted to talk about the idea that sometimes we are told to deal with it even when we are suffering. Got too much school stress? Learn to deal with it. People bullying you? Learn to deal with it. Your boss constantly discouraging you? Learn to deal with it.

I believe in the importance of building resilience and perseverance. Life is full of challenges and joys, and by overcoming challenges we can find satisfaction and personal success. But I dont believe in the idea that all we can do is deal with things, and that we are powerless to change. We deserve to be treated with respect and love. We deserve to be put under reasonable demands from school, and we deserve to be defined not just by our marks and leadership positions, but our interests and personal strengths. No, we are not entitled for believing this.

We can all change the world if we have the will to change it. Like L.R. Knost says, It's not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world. It's our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless. It is true. Every day, I imagine a world full of a supportive atmosphere, filled with love, passion, and kindness from all angles. Yes, being resilient and overcoming lifes challenges is very important, but it is also important to remember that you can always make a kinder place for yourself and others, and that you have your own power no matter what.

We can make that world. If you listen to one person per day, thats 20,000 people per lifetime. You have touched 20,000 people. Thats a LOT. In fact, if just 0.005% of the world did that, everyone would get listened to at least once. Everyone would have a taste of love and how it feels to be truly supported. Never let someone elses words take away your power to change the world. Never let someone elses words take away your power to make yourself better.

For me, it wasnt words. It was rejection. I was rejected to one position at school. It was a rejection like any other except I was the only one rejected for an interview. It was a club for social justice, and I poured my heart and soul into the application. And I was the only one rejected. Words could not describe the hurt and pain I felt. I know this may not be significant for all of you, but my heart broke. My pride was shattered. I am very sensitive to rejection, that is why, and this was a particularly hard one. I felt like I was not capable.

However, today, I have proven myself wrong. I am very analytical, creative, and resilient. Ive written huge papers on my passion, maintained a 91% average, and helped 750 people here. Sometimes we are faced with people who dont believe in us, or who tell us we are not capable. Or in this case, it wasnt myself that believe I was not capable. But by persevering and bettering myself every day through seeking help, believing in myself unconditionally, and doing what is truly important to me, I have shattered that belief. You can too. You dont need to let others tell you that youre not powerful enough. You dont need to let yourself tell you that you are not powerful enough. You deserve to be empowered by yourself or others to do what matters to you and excel at it through perseverance and dedication. You deserve to create opportunity for yourself. And you deserve to be loved unconditionally no matter what.

Thank you, so much, for letting me get this off my chest. Ive always wanted to say these things.