“I feel so much compassion for people who bullied me,” says Aija Mayrock. “I see that it’s all a cycle. They’ve experienced something in their lives and they are taking it out on someone else.”
Listening to her bravery and wisdom, I understand the world needs people like Aija, now more than ever. She’s an activist, artist, and best-selling author of the book The Survival Guide to Bullying, a deeply personal combination of stories, poems, and, most importantly, survival tips. (For example: "Repeat this three times a day: There is nothing wrong with me.")
“When I first wrote the book, I was told bullying was an American issue,” says Aija. But after the book came out, it resonated across the globe, from Japan and Korea to Vietnam and Pakistan. “In those countries the subject was heavily stigmatized or wasn’t talked about,” she explains.