I think it's safe to say we've all been there. The tears, the tissues, the pictures and the depressing music. You put everything you had into another person and it feels like they ripped your heart straight out of your chest. Your boyfriend of a year and a half cheated on you, your girlfriend of six months broke up with you because she just wasn't feeling it anymore or you decided on a "mutual breakup" because sometimes love just isn't enough as sad as that sounds. Whatever it may be, most of us have been through this tremendously painful experience at least once in our lives and if you haven't god bless you.

It's crazy to say, but I'm so glad I've gone through all of the heartbreak that I did because if I didn't I wouldn't be who I am today. Heartbreak changes you a little bit each and every time, but the problem is that this is emphasized as something so god awful and terrible. While heartbreak itself is not very pleasant, it is very much needed because the after effects are worth it.

With every case of heartbreak there is a lesson, maybe you don't learn it right away but it is there. Maybe your boyfriend cheats on you, the lesson there is not that you weren't good enough, it's that he was never good enough for you and this heart break (eventually) teaches you to be smarter about who you let in or who you trust and sometimes that is needed because you can't trust everyone with something as delicate as your heart. Heartbreak teaches you that life has a way of surprising you. Everything may seem so good, so so good and all of a sudden the person you gave everything is packing a few bags and walking out the door and all you can do is cry on your bedroom floor wondering what you did wrong. Heartbreak teaches you that not everyone has a heart as good as yours which is one of the most important lessons to learn because without it, you may get yourself into a lot more disappointment than you know. Love also teaches you that some people will always put themselves first and that it is okay for you to do the same. You can't please everyone and when you're consumed by love it's hard to remember that because you want to do everything in your power for the one you love, but you have to be reminded that sometimes you have to put yourself first.

Heartbreak teaches a lot, but out of everything, the most valued of them is all that it teaches how to appreciate real love when you finally find it. If you have had a series of trusting the wrong people or opening up your heart too easily like I have you know how hard it is to jump back up and get in the "game" again. Heartbreak prepares you for what could happen so that if it does you're stronger than before and you're ready. It also teaches you the difference between something that looks like love, but isn't quite love. It teaches you how to spot the difference between what could lead to a puddle of tears and what could be something so unimaginable

Like I said before if it wasn't for the heartbreak I have gone though, I wouldn't be the person I am today, I wouldn't feel they way I do today, and I wouldn't love the way I do today. If it wasn't for the heartbreak I went through I wouldn't be as strong as I am, and I wouldn't be able to appreciate the love I found today. Love is a magical thing, indescribable really, so when you find it (and you will!) you want to be prepared and you want to be able to appreciate the true beauty of it all.