Kardon

Bullying: A Life Lesson Learned ( Part 1)

By Christine Lulewicz

At some point in life, everyone experiences bullying of some kind. Whether it’s on the internet, in a school hallway, or in any other place in our daily lives, bullying is an issue that’s all around us.

There are several reasons that people bully others. For some, it is out of jealousy; for others, it’s due to low self esteem. People who have been bullied are made to feel that they are “different”, and the effects of bullying can be felt throughout the rest of one’s life.

Like many people, I have experienced many forms of bullying. Going as far back as grade school, I was teased for many things, from being a very hard worker and good student ( being bullied out of jealousy),  to being a shy child with no friends (being bullied for being quiet). As a result, my self esteem dropped.

Over the years, I have received advice on this from a number of people, such as: “Just ignore it.” “Laugh and pretend it’s funny.” However, in my experience, I have found that ignoring or laughing off bullying won’t solve the problem. The advice I found that really helped me is, “Tell someone you trust about it, discuss your feelings, and come up with ways to stick up for yourself.”

Following this advice, I felt comfortable talking to my parents about being bullied and I overcame bullying in grade school and high school. After graduating high school, I thought that I would no longer be bullied. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

As an adult, I’ve learned that bullying can not only come from my peers, but teachers can be bullies as well. When I started working with a new music teacher, I showed lots of dedication to my work because of my strong love for music. After working with this teacher for a while, I began to feel like I could never please the teacher, and I felt constantly criticized.

When I started working in a group of people, the teacher played favorites and I often felt left out. The teacher acted differently toward the other students in my group. I realized that the teacher had been bullying me and it was negatively affecting my self-esteem.

By talking about it with people I trust, I have learned that I am the only one that has control over my life.  No one, No one has the power to take away my self-esteem. When I left that teacher, I found nicer, more supportive music therapists to work with here at Kardon.  I have been successful in building my self esteem, feeling more confident and strong.

3 Responses to “Bullying: A Life Lesson Learned ( Part 1)”

1. Maria Bottiglieri says:

   November 4, 2011 at 6:37 pm

   Thank you for sharing your story

   Reply
2. Ami Profeta says:

   November 11, 2011 at 8:16 pm

   Thank you for sharing your story.

   Ami

   Reply
3. Jodie Kelly says:

   November 22, 2011 at 6:22 pm

   You have a lovely writing style. Thank you for sharing your stories. I think everyone has been bullied at some point in their lives, and I know it’s very difficult to overcome. By sharing this, you have helped others to feel like we are not alone.

   Reply