It’s not always a bad thing to lose someone.

I know that may sound cold, but hear me out. There have, no doubt, been people in your life that you’re not really sorry to see go. Their exit from your life lifts a weight off of your shoulders. Maybe it doesn’t happen at first, but in time you come to realize that your life is better without them in it.

This can apply to many different people—friends, significant others, even sometimes unfortunately family members. We connect with so many people over the course of our lifetime that it’s almost mind-numbing, but each person’s time in your life teaches you something, whether it’s good or bad. I’m a firm believer that you learn something from everyone you meet, and that you learn something different from every single one of them.

Sometimes, though, the only thing that you learn from someone is that you should no longer be in each other’s lives—whether this is a willful revelation or not.

Often, we come to know that we’re better off without someone, but we don’t want to admit it, or act on it. Sometimes you so badly want to prove your gut feeling wrong. Sometimes you can; sometimes things change.

Sometimes they don’t.

There’s always something hard about losing people in your life, no matter if it was a clear decision or a hard-fought battle. But what redeems those losses is that every time you lose someone, you find a part of yourself.

Heal from your loss; fill it in with love for yourself and the confidence that no matter who comes and goes in your life, you will always be alright. Attract those who bring love and light to you. Anything less will fall away.