They are burned into my memory

Words I cannot forget

I replay them over and over

Analyzing them again and again

"You aren't good enough"

Is it true? Is this reality?

"You'll never succeed"

Constant reminders of my mistakes

My inadequacies

The wrong clothes, the wrong makeup

The wrong friends

Why am I so awkward?

Why do I say such stupid things?

Constant reminders of how different I am

"You'll never be happy"

Who can I trust?

Who are my friends? My confidants?

"Can you believe she wore that? Can you believe she did that?"

Judgment all around me

Criticism all around me

Constantly worried, anxious

All I have is me

"What a loser"

Wait, that's not me!

Wait, that's not true!

Years of being told I am different

Years of being told I am awkward

Yet it never broke my spirit

All those years made me strong, not weak

All those years made me unique, not different

All those years helped me find my voice

I am not a loser

I am me, not you

I am me and only me

And I am enough.