I was a fat kid. Grown-ups would say that I looked “cute”, but that’s not what I wanted to hear. I struggled to fit in with the kids in my class. They didn’t like me because I got good marks. I was teased about my weight and called names. I became sad and started to dislike my body. I hated going school.

The following year, my older sister and her five-year-old daughter came to live with us. I took all my frustrations out on my niece. I wanted someone else to feel what I was going through since I couldn’t stand up to the kids who were bulling me.

Eventually my sister moved out so I had to stop my bad behaviour. I no longer had someone smaller than me to bully.

It was only much later that I realised what a deep impact being bullied had on me. I feel so ashamed that I bullied my niece. I was letting my past rule my present. I decided I wouldn’t continue to let it to ruin my life any longer.

Recognising your own bad behaviour is a good first step to controlling it. This reader is lucky, he can see why he became unhappy, and a bully. He made the right choice by stopping.

This story was written by a Tune Me community member.