Stronger in the Broken Places

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."
— Marilyn Monroe

Tonight I received an out-of-the-blue text that said: "your positive energy overflows. jus sayin" This made me smile, not only because it's an insanely flattering compliment but because it reconfirmed the progress I've made in the past month...

Recently I've been reminded that I have no control over what anyone else says or does, but I do have the ultimate control over my actions and reactions in every situation I find myself in. I have always loved the cliche that "you're always stronger in the broken places". I believe that everyone (including myself) goes through rough patches; and it's those trying times that give you the opportunity to either grow or risk getting caught on a slippery slope of self-pity.

It's only by realizing this potential that I have finally come to appreciate each time that I've been broken down, because it has given me this amazing opportunity to grow, mature, and learn about myself. I keep managing to come out a little bit stronger, and for that I am thankful. It goes beyond relationships; however those tend to be the ones that slap you the hardest in the process of presenting an important lesson. It's easier said than done to believe that "everything happens for a reason", but I believe that it must. It's like Marilyn said: sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together