It’s pretty easy to be grateful for the things in our lives that went right.
But we can also be grateful for the times when we’ve stumbled and fallen; crashed and burned; failed spectacularly.
It turns out that there’s reason to be deeply grateful for each and every one of these experiences .
Many of our most painful or difficult moments contain powerful lessons that can transform us into better individuals.
They just have to be viewed from the right perspective.
For instance, financial difficulties can teach us to be resourceful and to learn how to value people more than things.
The shame of having less than others can turn into a stronger work ethic and sense of self-reliance.
Real heartbreak is among the most powerful catalysts known to man and can refine us in ways that good fortune never could.
A broken relationship or loss of a friendship can provide clarity that helps us better appreciate those who love us and stand by us.
There is value in the events and experiences that tested us.
Of course, it can be a real challenge to see that value while we’re in the midst of those tests.
But time has a way of helping us see how they have served as defining moments for us.
When we take thoughtful inventory of our blessings, we come to see how our struggles and failures have made our triumphs all the sweeter.