Some may say that words can hurt you as much as knives because physical wounds heal much faster than emotional trauma. Once you hear some nasty comments said your way, you might remember them your whole life and they can actually prevent you from living your life to the fullest.
That’s why it’s so important to be kind to others and think about what your words may mean to them before saying something. A TikToker shared a story of a moment that really stuck with her and the words she carries from since she was 11 as they were told by a teacher.
More info: TikTok
Elyse Myers shared a story of how something that a teacher said about her body in her teen years stuck with her through her whole life
Image credits: elyse_myers
Elyse Myers is a TikTok star with 3.5 million followers. She is known for telling stories from her life that can teach everyone a lesson or more often, give a good laugh. Her videos regularly go viral and get watched millions of times.
One of her more recent story times that got 2.6 million people interested is from her teenage years to show the importance of being kind and choosing your words before you say them as they can be really damaging.
Image credits: elysemyers
The woman starts by saying that when she was a teenager she was bigger than other kids her age. It didn’t bother her, but for some reason, everyone wanted her to know that they thought she was not of the appropriate weight.
What does bother Elyse now looking back was that she had so many other qualities people could have praised, but they couldn’t see past her body.
Elyse said that she weighed more than her peers in middle school and everyone let her know that
Image credits: elysemyers
As a child, she wasn’t taught to love her body, but instead, people liked to remind her that there was something wrong with it. Only now Elyse understands that those comments on her body reflected more so on the people who said them rather than her own appearance.
Even though we can pretend we don’t care and brush off the comments and awful things strangers or people that we don’t care about say, it’s not that easy when those words come from the mouth of a person that you look up to, that is an authority and an important figure.
One time a substitute teacher commented that she was not suited for a cheerleading outfit when she expressed to her friends she would like to be a cheerleader
Image credits: elysemyers
Image credits: elysemyers
Even though we may not like our teachers or really know them as people, they still are a big influence in our lives. Students literally write down what they say and when they comment on things other than the subject they teach, students still can hear them and they are still very impressionable.
And what a substitute teacher said to Elyse 17 years ago, she still remembers. She remembers how he said that she was not suited for a cheerleading uniform when she was talking with her friends about what she would like to do aside from school.
Elyse understands now that it was extremely inappropriate; what is more, she still remembers that remark to this day, 17 years later
Image credits: elysemyers
The teacher believed that he was ‘saving Elyse from herself’ but the woman thinks that it was absolutely inappropriate and disgusting. What he actually did was leave a scar in Elyse’s heart and even so many years later, she still is trying to fix it and not let it rule her life.
What the TikToker wanted to say with this story is that kids believe things you tell them. Words can shatter any person but they can also lift them up; however, it’s hell of a lot more difficult to do that when they are broken into a million pieces.
That is why she asks people to be more careful before making comments on others' appearance
Image credits: elysemyers
The topic of appearance is a sensitive one. Children, teenagers and adults as well want to feel beautiful and accepted. It takes a lot of effort to build up confidence and just one word can ruin the process.
Elyse asks people to be understanding and more kind not only towards others but also themselves. In her opinion it is important to not focus only on appearance and know that people have other great qualities.
You never truly know your influence on others so it's always best to be kind and show more compassion
Image credits: elysemyers
Image credits: elysemyers
You can listen to Elyse telling her story below
The teacher’s comment would have been hurtful for anyone and Elyse still remembers it to this day, however, she still was able to play a cheerleader during her senior year in high school for the musical Grease and proudly shows a photo at the end of the video.
We would like to know if you agree with Elyse that people forget that their words mean more to others than they think. Or do you think that we've become too sensitive and care too much about others’ opinions, letting them influence our lives? Let us know in the comments!
People in the comments agreed with the message Elyse wanted to deliver and related to the story she told
