Today (February 24th, 2016) is Pink Shirt Day, a day that unites individuals all over the world around a very universal cause: practicing kindness and taking a stand against bullying.

In honor of Pink Shirt Day, we feature local Vancouver blogger Ellie- Louise Chan from Maple Syrup and Tea Cups.

Ellie created her blog as a way to regain self confidence after a life time of harsh bullying.

She Grew up in England where she had been teased, criticized, and insulted not just by her peers but also by her teachers all throughout her school years and even in her adult life. Among other insults, she had been called "stupid girl" and day after day felt lonelier and more isolated.

Ellie knew that starting a blog could make her an even bigger target for bullying, however, she decided it was time for her to step out of her comfort zone and do something she really liked regardless of what people would think.

Ellie is a sweet girl with a big heart. She likes pretty things and has a slight obsession with party skirts. Blogging is a way for her to escape the mundanity of every day life. She has a full time job and a loving husband who helps her take pictures for her blog and Instagram.

Ellie recognizes that she has been lucky so far to have genuine followers who frequently write nice comments. She has come a long way since her bullying years and credits her recovery from stepping out of her comfort zone and leaving her country to start a new life in Canada.

In a recent post she writes:

"My point is, I would never have grown in to the woman that I am today if I hadn't taken that first step and left my town in Rural England. If you want to make something of yourself, if you want to be amazing and noticed (in a good way) then you have to step up and put yourself out there. You're not going to make it to your goal right away, you're going to have to take some knocks and pick yourself up, dust off the bruises and keep going."

Ellie's advice for dealing with bullies is to know that you don't have to suffer in silence and that "you’ve got no reason to feel ashamed or weak, like I did."

She suggests that you seek help and reach out to one of the many organizations out there that support that cause: MindUK  - Pink Shirt Day - Kids Help Phone - CHIMO - PrevNet