NoH8: Bloggers against bullying

Today's post is a pretty special post.  Me, as well as a whole bunch of amazing bloggers, have joined together in an effort to raise awareness and take a stand against bullying.  Not only online bullying but bullying period. 

I started blogging about a year and a half ago and if it hadn't been for the kindness and encouragement I got from the start, I would have stopped doing it a LONG time ago. We all start from

scratch and none of us are perfect. My first nail post was on July 12, 2011 and I was obsessed with the Zebra stamp from Bundle Monster and I had horrible cell phone photos. I look at that post and I look at my new posts and I'm amazed at how much I've grown and learned. I look at the comments on that first post too and it makes me smile ear to ear. I got the nicest comments and encouragement. Nobody judged me or made fun of me or made me feel like I didn't belong or that I wasn't good enough. It upsets me that there are people out there right now trying to embarrass and make my fellow bloggers feel not worthy. You ARE worthy and not everyone feels negatively like that, as a matter of fact, the ones that don't feel that way FAR out number the the ones that do, I promise. I am a firm believer in being kind. Kindness can go a long way. Don't ever let a few mean spirited people ruin something you love, because there are always going to be more people there to support you and help you grow. ♥

Today I'm wearing purple for any blogger that has ever been made to feel like they weren't good enough or that they didn't belong in this community.

Polishes used:

Claire's Midnight

China Glaze Sweet Hook

Bullying is not funny. It is not cool. It is not right. And more importantly, it is not okay.

Most of us are, thankfully, residents of countries that support tolerance and many of our families have settled in these places simply for that reason. Generations later, it is our responsibility to perpetuate that message of tolerance across our new social platforms, including the internet.

As members of the nail polish blogging community, we all share a love of beauty, color, and lacquer. Other than that, we are remarkably different: from our race to our religion to our hair color...even to our polish application techniques. To marginalize anyone because of those differences is completely unacceptable and today I take a stand against that. I refuse to allow other people's view of "normal" dictate how I behave, believe, and blog.

In solidarity with a multitude of bloggers linked below, my purple manicure represents my proud commitment to the No H8 movement. Today, November 8, I dedicate my post to ending bullying of any kind and to encouraging diversity and imperfection among our colorful community.

If you or someone you know is experiencing bullying, please don't hesitate to reach out to these helpful sites:

Stopbullying.gov

Report Cyber Bullying

National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 800.273.TALK (8255)

EradicateH8