lessons are blessings

It's a funny thing, life is. While I haven't gone through as much as others have, it doesn't mean my life hasn't had its lessons. I tend to feel irritated by those who play the "woe is me" card with phrases such as, "If only you knew" or "Your life is easy compared to mine." We all have our own battles and struggles day-to-day. Some may be more severe than others, but hell, they're all battles.

I tend to go with the glass is half full outlook. This doesn't mean I shoot rainbows out of my ass, but I do try to find the good in every situation. Maybe that's oddly annoying to some, but there could be worse traits.

In the past few years I've had a few things thrown at me. Struggling to find a career after graduating with my bachelor's degree. Developing an unhealthy eating and exercise disorder. Losing everyone who I thought were my "true" friends after making a decision to follow my heart. I felt like a failure. I didn't understand any of it or why it was happening to me.

Looking back now, those experiences were necessary. They were given to me because the universe knew I was strong enough to handle it, and because I needed a drastic change to my life. When you hit a low point, the only place to go is up. So, I brushed myself off. I went back to school to have a better opportunity to a career. I received my Master's in two years and am in my second year of teaching preschool. I decided to take back my mental and physical health, and begin the recovery process from my disorder. Along the way, I began sharing my experiences and helping others. I found women with similar interests and goals and hearts as me. They've become my best friends in my new life.

Life is what you make of it. You can choose to let it bury you and be depressed, or you can choose to dig yourself out and create a newer, stronger you. So yes, I believe in being happy and positive and turning the bad into good. I've had my battles, but I came out a damn good fighter.