My Letter To The World

Today I'm participating in the Open Letter Challenge writing contest organized by Josh Irby. The letter I wrote is a response to An Open Letter to You from the Rest of the World. Go check out his site and the contest! It's pretty cool! :)

Dear World,

I just read your letter. You know, it really made me think. Maybe I can be different, maybe I can make a difference. Maybe that could be me! My mind raced with all the possibilities!

But almost as soon as those thoughts, these dreams and hopes arise, they get struck down again. Fear, negativity, doubt. All these things crowd me to the point where I just want to scream and bust out of the prison cell that is my mind.

You say don't listen to the naysayers, but how is that possible, when the naysayers are me? They're inside me. Crawling, biting and tearing me down. Just so they can get out. Sometimes, I can't even decifer the naysayers from myself. I can't even tell what I really think because I'm so confused and blinded by the negative thoughts. 

I want to be someone. I want to be the person who people look at and say, "She was amazing!" But it's not likely. Oh there it is again. Another of those naysayers rearing it's ugly head.

But it's wrong.  I know it is. I can feel that it is. Maybe I do just need to raise my chin a little higher and press on. Keep going. Ignore the naysayers. Ignore the "not good enough" thoughts. The, "you can't do it's" and the "nobody believes in you"'s.

It won't be easy. I know it won't.  They'll get so much stronger when they realize they're being evicted. They'll fight. I know. And I'm okay with that now. I can beat them. I can.

I will keep pressing forward. I will do what I love because I love it. I will tell my story. I will make a difference. And someday you'll see, I was stronger than I thought. All I needed was a push.

So thank you, World. For that much needed push. I owe you one.

-Beth