Thank You...my snapshot of truth.

Thank you to my 3rd grade teacher who called me obnoxious, moved my desk into the hallway & humiliated me infront of my class...after thinking for years that there was something wrong with me, it lead me to find answers, helping me become diagnosed with ADD in my teen years, helping me learn to organize my thoughts & control my excitement (this is what is wrong with our schools)

Thank you to my 5th grade teacher who told me my shirt with writing on the front of it was too provocative, was giving the boys the wrong idea & made me turn it inside out...yes, let's make me embarrassed and REALLY draw attention to me. Like having B cup boobs in Elementary school wasn't horrifying enough...This taught me that bullies come in all shapes, sizes, ages & we, as people need to take a stand.

Thank you to my grade 9 teacher who had me removed from 4 of my classes to sit in a single desk outside the counsellors office because I wasn't abiding to "the rules". <-- actually , SIR, I started skipping your class because of the day you told me infront of the entire class I would never go to university and probably never amount to anything. This taught me to stick up my middle finger to haters like you, to follow my dreams & prove people like you wrong.

Thank you to the senior girl when I was grade 10 who threw a full grape juice box down at me in the lunchroom while standing on the table and called me horrible names...you taught me to stick up for myself. You taught me that I AM STRONG, I will voice my opinion, I will NOT back down, and if when someone treats you like that, it's their problem, not yours.

Thank you to my ex boyfriend who called me fat. This was not the beginning of my self image problem but HOT DAMN, it sure fuelled the fire...but thank you because this confidence crushing idea would eventually lead me into starting a movement to empower women, show them they are beautiful & help them gain CONFIDENCE. <--this is something I can now pass onto my daughter.

Thank you to my paramedic teacher who told me "girls like me" don't make it in this industry". First...girls like me?? <-- I fish, I swear, i like beer lol...so what? I like to wear makeup sometimes and expect my man to hold the door for me?? <---YOU, lady, are the reason chivalry is dead. So thank you for reminding me the being lady like is SEXY heart emoticon And Thank you for making me realize I am able to work with "girls like me". The go getters, the dreamers, the strong. Thank you for giving me the strength to try something completely different.

Thank you to each of you who shaped me into who I am. Thank you for giving me strength, for giving me power, for making me determined. I will prove each of you wrong, I will become a MUCH bigger person than you ever thought.