No one enters our lives by chance—whether in our personal, professional, or romantic lives. No one passes through our lives without changing us in some way. Some people brighten our morning, and we think of them all day long. Others enter our lives and transform us so profoundly that we are never quite the same again.

The relationships that have changed me the most and taught me the most about myself are the ones that broke my heart. Nothing hurts more emotionally than disillusionment. Yet, nothing teaches us more than a broken heart. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom and take a hard knock to truly understand your emotions and grow—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It takes a broken heart to realize that feelings shouldn’t be toyed with—neither your own nor anyone else’s. That pain is necessary to pick yourself up, move forward, and grow.