Overcoming Challenges
     Have you ever overcame a challenge you thought you never could? At a time in everyone's life they overcome a challenge they thought they would never overcome. Maybe the challenge is small, like being afraid of spiders or insects.  Other challenges can be bigger like overcoming an eating disorder. Whether it's small or big it’s still a challenge to get overcome your challenge.   One thing I overcame is being selfconscious and caring about what people think. When you care what people think, it makes you mad and sad all at the same time.
     When I was in sixth grade and seventh grade, I was really self conscious and I cared alot about what people said about me. Even though I knew they were talking about something mean, I just wanted to know what they were saying. When someone would tell me what they said I would get mad. But at the time, I was really self conscious and it put me down when people talked bad about me and started rumors. Now I realize if love yourself, no one else's opinion should matter.
     In sixth and seventh grade social media was very popular because Instagram was new and everyone used it. The problem with social media is that it gives girls the idea that they needed to look a certain way. When I saw the girls on social media, I always wanted to be like them. I wanted to dress like them too. Now I realize that a lot of the girls on instagram and tumblr aren't healthy, they don't eat that's why they're so skinny. Although I wanted to look like the girls on Instagram and tumblr,  I would rather be healthy then not eating just too look a certain way. After I stopped comparing myself to other people, I was happy just being me.
     During the summer of my eighth grade year, I decided to go to my church's summer camp. While I was at the camp I had fun because everyone was there for the same reason, to get closer to God. I will always remember the last night at camp, the night started by group challenges. Later in the night it was time to go to night chapel, are pastor for the week was a bald guy I remember him being so inspirational. Anyway sitting in chapel singing with hands in the air with everyone, are pastor wanted to show us a video little did I know that video was going to get me on the road to change. The pastor gave a speech about self worth and bullying and showed a video. Looking around with tears clouding my vision I see people crying hugging their friends. After the speech and video I realized I'm not happy and I wasn't happy very much either, I never thought that week was going to be one of the best weeks of my summer.
     When I got home for church camp, I tried to be happy but I was spending a lot of time in my room and I just wasn't happy. While I was laying in bed one day I realized I'm jealous, I'm jealous of the attention my parents give my sisters I wondered why they were so special. Going out with my family began to annoy me and I never wanted to go with me because all they talk about is what my sisters are doing and how good their doing. Whenever I could I would go hangout with friends, if I could I would stay in my room and watch tv or go outside. The big day came the annual family camping trip, I didn't want to go so I told my mom I had to stay home to babysit and that I would come down camping after I was done babysitting. My mom agreed to let me stay home with my big brother along as he brought my camping when I was done babysitting. After babysitting on Saturday my brother picked me up and we drove to the campground. A couple of days passed and everything was going okay, until one night I remember someone saying something about my weight and I just went right to the camper laid in my bed and listed to music. My mom asked me if something was wrong and I just cried, I didn't want to cry I tried to hold it back but I could. I remembered the fun of camp and I wanted to that happy again.
     The changes I've overcame have shaped me to who I am today, the challenges have also made me more mature. Since I overcame my biggest challenge I have been trying to only say nice things about people, because I know how much it could affect their life. Sometimes I slip and say something I know I shouldn't have. Also I am only letting people who make me feel good about myself be my friend. The big part about overcoming being self conscious is only saying nice stuff about yourself.