Can you describe a time when an adverse event helped you change for the better?

My father died. It forced me to finally stand up to my mother.

Divorce taught me to stand up for myself better and to take control of my life and goals as it was up to me not everyone around me to make me happy.
I learned how to manage many things in my life after living in a controlling environment all of my youth and marriage.
It was a valuable learning curve!

@Inspired_2write Yes. For me too.

I had lived in ease and comfort, wanting for nothing, all of my life and for the first 10 years of my first marriage. Then we were divorced and I hit the poverty level. It gave me a new respect and understanding for people who have to go with out. It made me more generous.

My class ring was stolen during my time in gym class. I’d only had it a few days. I had to beg my mom to part with the hunk of cash to buy it. I was in tears as I made my way toward the office to report it. That was extremely unusual. I was a tough exterior, bouncy, joyful girl.
As I reached the end of a hall where I had to make a turn, there stood this great big guy who made it his constant duty to harass me, gave me a rude nickname, and snarled it at me every possible opportunity. He saw my tears, and I saw a look on his face. That look told me what a thousand words could not. He suddenly saw me as vulnerable, and felt compassion for that.
It proved to me that bullies really could turn over a new leaf.
We didn’t become friends, but he did come up behind me while I was at my locker. In a low voice he asked if something had happened because of him. I told him my class ring was stolen. He told me he hoped I would get it back. Nothing more was said between us, no more name calling. Once in a while eye contact would occur in the halls. My family moved during summer break, so I never saw him again.

My eighth grade science teacher taught us about the “Big Bang” theory and it turned me from theist to atheist.

Probably the whole ordeal with my ex. I do NOT want to give him credit for any of this but I feel like I have a better understanding of who I am if that makes sense. I know how I want to be treated in a relationship and I know what red flags to look out for. I know my limits and I know that I am a strong person.

It also affected me a lot in the sense that I totally changed my degree and am rethinking my whole career path because I am now in Criminal Justice with the hopes of being a victim/witness advocate and I am looking into volunteering at the local women’s center. I really want to help other people go through what I have and I know I talk about this a lot on here but it was a really life-changing, major event in my life and as much as I’m hurt from it I like to believe that I am going to take the negativity and turn it into a positive by doing what I can to make other peoples lives easier. I am NOT giving him the credit for this because I was the one to dig myself out of that hole and I was the one to pull my life (somewhat) together, not him at all.

I also had a time when I was 14 and in therapy, (therapy itself wasn’t bad but was necessary because of a bad time in my life) and that’s where I ended up volunteering for an organization that made me more confident and taught me a lot of things. I stayed with them for a few years. My therapist showed me the organization and I am very grateful he did.

About 20 years ago, I lived in a big, beautiful old apartment building. Rent was a little more than I could afford, I’d just started a full time job and it was a struggle to pay the bills. It was a beautiful building, though, and I loved living there.

A woman two floors above me started a fire, unintentionally. I, along with 165 other people, became homeless ten days before Christmas.

The Red Cross helped us out, the community helped us out, my job helped me out, my family and friends helped me out, and I lived with my parents for three months until I found a new apartment.

It was a bit stressful living with my parents, with my stuff in the basement, in my temporary room, and dealing with tenants’ meetings and legal stuff and being displaced. However, I ended up in a cheaper apartment which was also nice, and I had a bit of money in the bank from three months rent free plus a class action lawsuit for various issues related to the fire. It was one of those very tough life experiences which shape who you are, and make you a stronger person.

@jca2…way to go! You did it!

@Patty_Melt Damn girl, that is almost a Hallmark movie!