What we don’t realize is that it is in the worst times of our lives that define and develop us the most.

 

The time when you felt like you failed in achieving your dream, the moment the person who you loved said that they no longer loved you, or the instant you found out you didn’t get the job.

 

But then there are other terrible moments that have a little humor. For instance, when you think about it that time you accidentally drooled looking at your crush isn’t that embarrassing. Or what about when yourself out of the house and had to climb in through the window? Still not too bad. Especially compared to that Mario Kart moment when you actually slipped on a banana peel.

 

Regardless of your pitfalls, big or small, it’s important not to wish them away.

 
Why?
  

Because together those moments have stacked on top of one another like Jenga blocks and built who you are today. Perhaps there are still a few pieces missing and your tower is a bit wobbly but keep yourself going by treasuring both the successes and pitfalls, literal or not.
Here are a few reasons why your worst moments make you who you are:

 

 

1. They help you learn what to do in the future. A mistake is only a mistake if you keep repeating it.

 

“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” ~Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?

 

“By seeking and blundering we learn.” ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 
 

 

 

 

2. They humble you. Even if everything goes well that day, maybe that one little thing that did go wrong can serve as a reminder that you are indeed still a human.

 

“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.” ~Richard Branson

 

“You will only fail to learn if you do not learn from failing.” ~Stella Adler, The Art of Acting

 

 

 

 

3. They offer potential. One accident can lead you down a new road with even more opportunities than you thought you had before.

“When you catch a glimpse of your potential, that’s when passion is born.” ~Zig Ziglar

 

“Many times what we perceive as an error or failure is actually a gift. And eventually we find that lessons learned from that discouraging experience prove to be of great worth.” ~Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

 

 

 

 

4. They fill you with passion. On days when you need it most you could get a chance to change the rest of your life.

“I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the road that I have the most passion on because then you can never really blame yourself for making the wrong choices. You can always say you’re following your passion.” ~Darren Aronofsky

 

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” ~Maya Angelou

 

 

 

 

5. They provide contrast. Perhaps your life needs to be shaken up a little so that you can appreciate how good you have it.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~Oprah Winfrey

 

“Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic.” ~Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

 

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” ~Voltaire

 

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” ~Anne Bradstreet

 

 

Keep stacking those Jenga blocks and don’t be discouraged if one or two fall out. After all, these moments are what make you, who you are!