I know what you're thinking: how in the world is heartbreak a good thing?

Sometimes a broken heart is the most tragic thing a person will experience in life. From my own experience I can honestly say it really is one of the most painful things to go through, but I promise there's a sun shining bright on the other side.

First, let me start out by saying any breakup is a bad breakup. There's nothing pleasant about it and it hurts like hell. We all know how it typically goes. You end up devoting yourself to one person. You talk to them every day. You wish you would spend every minute with them. They're the last person you think about when you fall asleep and and the first person when you wake up. You think about your future together and where you'll be five years from now. You name your hypothetical children and paint a picture in your head of what your perfect house to live in would be. You are no longer a "you" -- you are now a "we." Your significant other becomes your best friend and your soulmate.

Then one day you wake up and it's like everything you worked towards just disappeared. No more good morning texts, no more late night phone calls, and no one to talk to throughout the day. Sometimes there's no explanation for why it happened. This frustrates you. It saddens you. You feel angry. You feel empty. You can't sleep. You can't eat. For a moment's time, you feel like the entire world is against you.

But life goes on and time doesn't stop for anyone. And this is when the most powerful and important thing happens. You turn into someone you never thought you'd be. You become stronger and wiser. Day by day you gain your independence back and eventually you discover you can rely on yourself for your own happiness. Being happy is no longer an anticipated expectation from another person. It becomes a part of who you are and what defines you. No more disappointments. No more tears. No more moping around the house or staying in your bed all day. Although that person may have a piece of your heart forever, they are now a permanent part of your past.

If I could give one piece of advice for anyone who is going through heartbreak: make sure to realize that you are more than just the other half of someone else in a relationship. You are your own person and you have so much to offer in this world. Don't let your thoughts take over your body, your actions and who you are as a person. Some days will be harder than others. You may feel like you'll never get over the top of the mountain you've been climbing for what feels like forever, but you will. And you will be a whole different you than you could have ever imagined.

One of my favorite quotes is from author Iain Thomas who explains it best, “If nothing else, one day you can look someone straight in the eyes and say 'But I lived through it. And it made me who I am today.'”