365 day challenge: Day 39

Day 39: Why you think you’ve learnt more from the good or the bad

While it's true you can't learn to change if you never fail... if there is no good to compare it to, what direction do you take? How do you know it's not just another dead end? It goes without saying that 'you learn from your mistakes' is true as the most used advice on this topic, but I don't think people give enough credit to positive influences, opportunities and role models.

If my first best friend hadn't been so controlling, would it be easier for me to handle social situations, would I have more friends? When my grandfather died, would I have been able to accept it so quickly without the media I'd consumed? If I didn't have such a stable and loving relationship with a childhood friend, would I ever have been able to connect to another human being again? Especially after those few years in that company - while I learned to watch out for warning signs and not tolerate bullshit in place of something better, do these pros outweigh the cons of an unsupportive environment through formative years?

I think what matters most is the combination the good and bad happen to make in your life, and when you're old enough, what you choose to take from them.