You make your life harder by giving so much meaning and value to the people and events that hurts you in the past. You give so much meaning to the people that has really no meaning in your life. You give them so much attention, you try to prove yourself to them. You don't have to do it because you don't need to prove yourself to anybody.
If you will always try to prove yourself to somebody then you will have a lot of pressure in your shoulder. Your actions will be based on their reactions. You will not become yourself because you will always be afraid of making mistakes because you wanted to stay perfect in their eyes. You want to prove that they are wrong and you are right. You don't need to do it. Free yourself from people that has no meaning in your life but is meaningful to your ego.
Yes they hurt you from the past and is hurting you again, you wanted to make them feel regretful by being successful. You cannot become successful if your success means looking successful in the eyes of others. You will define your own success. You are the one who can give a unique meaning to success.
Make anyone and anything meaningless. If you succeed or fail... don't make it a big deal. You are just living your life and doing what you love to do regardless of fame or success. You do it because you are passionate about it and there is no attached something about it.
Detached yourself from the approval of others coz that shit ain't contributing to your life. It only gives burden to you, it only make you not yourself. If nothing has meaning to you then you will have total freedom to do what you want, express yourself like a boss and become the best that you can be.
