Being bullied made me a victim. Being stigmatized made me a victim. Being sick for so long made me a victim. Being ignored made me a victim.  Being cast aside when I was qualified made me a victim. I could go on, but I think you get the point. A lot of things in my life have made me a victim, and I bet a lot of things in your life have too, but that doesn’t mean we should embrace victimhood or even accept that title.

I have found that refusing to be a victim, even in cases were people would agree that we are one, is a powerful move that can help us not only heal, but rise above whatever is holding us down.

There is a lot in life that we can’t control. There are a lot of powers greater than ours and it’s easy to feel completely powerless against them, especially when people abuse them and they effect us negatively. But someone else having more power than us doesn’t mean that we have to allow them to take what power we have. Wielding your self-control, self-confidence, or even the knowledge that you’re in the right can lead to victory over victimhood.

We don’t have to embrace where other people failed and we don’t have to allow that to define us. In fact, it’s better if we don’t. It’s better if we take credit for our success in spite of them instead of because of them. We shouldn’t use others missteps as markers in our own lives. Other’s missteps should not mark our steps. We should rise above them and the pity that comes from their actions. After all, not falling victim to the people who want to make you a victim is one of the most powerful things you can do.

Getting power from other peoples pity doesn’t measure up to getting power from our own success. Our own success is stronger, and nobody can deny us it or disrespect it, because it was completely earned independent of anyone else.

You have so much going for you, what someone else did wrong is not one of those things, so leave it behind in the dust where it deserves to be.