Autobiographical Personal Essay

In life, I believe that everyone has that one experience that will define who he or she is. The experience usually has a fork in the road; you can pick the path that will lead to success or the path that will lead to your downfall. If ever I am presented with a choice, I always make it my obligation to select the option that will benefit me the most. A time that I can recall making a decision like this was when I was in elementary school. Someone that I considered my friend was emotionally bullying me. One day I made a major decision that continues to define who I am.

When I was a little girl, I did not know the qualities of a friend, which contributed to the reason I continued to remain friends with this person. Everyday, I felt humiliated because she would often treat me like a puppy. Anywhere that she went, I had to follow. Anything that she did, I had to do the same. If ever I chose to go my own way, or even if I was absent from school, she would threaten me with the loss of her friendship. One afternoon, we were playing outside for recess. She told me to come follow her and I do not know what came over me, but I decided to go the other way. I chose to go in another direction because I was tired of following behind someone else. In that moment, I felt liberated and I knew that I wasn’t a follower; I was a leader. Ever since then, I have made my own decisions and have never let anyone alter my choices, to benefit them.

My past experience with bullying has encouraged me to become a much stronger person and has also motivated me to inspire others to find their own bliss. No one should ever feel inferior to anyone else. I believe that everyone has an opportunity to defeat the odds and use their negative experiences as motivation to progress in life. If I had listened to what others had said about me, I would not be the strong willed, highly motivated, go-getter that I am today.

Sometimes a negative experience can have a positive aftermath. I made a choice that now continues to play a major role in my life. I understand that it is imperative for me to excel in life, so long as I continue to make decisions that are in my best interest and are not influenced by others. I used the negative experiences as inspiration to excel in life. After all, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.