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News Child Abuse Followed By Success

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sugnim

Confident
Last night, watching Clinton's speech at the DNC, I was very moved by her description of her mother's childhood. It is a description that matches much of mine, and much of my mother's. A child being essentially abandoned at an early age, and then thrown out of the house while still a teenager--this was not the subject I expected to hear about at a political convention.

I found a little bit of hope in seeing that the outcome of someone who endured such an experience can be a positive one. Sometimes I feel so hopeless, as though I am fundamentally flawed because of the way I was raised, as though I will never be a "normal" person. I teared up, just a little bit, which is kind of a big deal for me, and then I choked them back.

I don't want to start a political debate with this thread. I just wanted to say, it was remarkable and amazing to me to hear of such success, even in the face of abuse and abandonment. It made me think for just a minute that a positive change is possible.
 
Believe it or not, I think the childhood physical abuse and emotional neglect/abuse I endured made me a better person. In ways, I'm glad it happened. It hurts and is terrible to think about it, but it's the truth for me.

I have a very high pain tolerance, I can look after myself and maintain good grades without a parent monitoring me. I rarely cry and am not easily offended, and I live by the saying "suck it up" or "tough it out." I can handle criticism, strive to be the best I can, defy the odds, and prove the haters wrong. I'm a risk-taker, have a fearless attitude (most of the time lol), and don't need the approval of others.

Those are all direct results from the abuse I endured. It made me so much tougher than I would be without it. It scares me to think of what I would be like if I had a normal childhood. It made me weak in ways, but I think the tradeoffs are worth it for me.
 
I am taking a lot of it with a grain of salt personally.

When it comes to my past; it has shaped me to be a very loyal and caring person. Many see what they want to see when it comes to me but (and this includes online) if you are a friend, I am a friend for life and I will go to the end of the earth for you and have your back always. If anyone asks for help im right there. I will do anything to help anyone even if that means i suffer or give you all of my money or time or anything.

When it comes to success, it has not helped me, it has crippled me in this area. I was thrown into the world with nothing. No interpersonal skills, no knowlede on how to apply for a job let alone work one let alone succeed. A neighbor turned best friend was teaching me how to apply for a job and later how to drive.

I was so busy trying to live that applying for college never got to happen. Not only did I not get a childhood, I also didnt get my 20s as I was trying so hard to just not be homeless. I had a wild patch but was small. Mostly I was busy trying to not be homeless.

If I had the chance to go to college, I could be making 4 times what i do now if not more.

You must put the speech in context. A political presidental race.

Im not saying she wasnt affected or it didnt lead to success, im just saying it is very possible that she is using it to boost her political race by appealing to the abused & negeleted.

Could abuse & negelect help you succeed? Sure.

Im glad it inspired you! That's never bad!
 
Of course, she undoubtedly is not the first president to come with an abusive history (oops, am I getting ahead of my self?? ), but I agree that it was heart warming and inspiring and good to shine light on dysfunction vs hiding it away and trying to present a perfect family like many politicians do.

Positive change is possible. Never forget that. Even in the smallest steps, eventually you'll find you've gone a mile.
 
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