How Can a Bad Relationship Makes You a Better Person?

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images (16)If you ask your friends, they probably have a very clear opinion, which may or may not be influenced by that one time you flaked on dinner plans for a date or spent an entire girls’ night bemoaning your latest break-up. But, now, science is weighing in on how exactly relationships change who we are.

If your relationship has led you to make positive life changes—like working out more or eating healthier—then it’s made you a better person. Sweet! If that’s not a case for leaving bad boys behind, I don’t know what is. After all, shouldn’t we all be dating people who make us feel like the best versions of ourselves?

You could kick yourself for getting involved and staying in that bad relationship, couldn’t you? But before you get too down on yourself, there are actually a lot of positive things that can come out of this negative situation. Here are the top eight reasons why being in a bad relationship makes you a better person.

You’re Now in Better Company

It is a shame that we don’t enjoy our own great company as often as we should. And if you have been stuck in a bad relationship, you’ve been hanging out with the worst company of all. You need someone who will accept your flaws, appreciate your kooky sense of humor and love you for who you are. Hopefully, you know at least one person like that? Well, of course you do … it’s you!

You’ve Proven You Know What You DON’T Want

images (17)The fact that you can recognize and admit you’ve had a bad relationship is the first step to finding true love. There are those who find themselves in the trap where they assume it is better to be in a bad relationship than to be alone. But in order to find a better companion, you need to accept that your own good company is better than somebody else’s bad company. It is true that it may take quite a while to find your soulmate, but you’ll miss them if you spend the majority of your time hopping from one bad relationship to another. Take what you’ve learned from this bad experience, raise the bar a couple notches and look for someone who makes you feel good.

You’re a Ball of Creative Energy

Some of the world’s greatest works of art have come from the creative energy behind a tumultuous experience in someone’s life. There are a lot of strong emotions released at the end of a bad relationship, and if you can channel them in the right directions you can accomplish some pretty fantastic and creative things.

You Have the Opportunity to Rediscover Yourself

One of the marks of a bad relationship is losing your original purpose. Sometimes a bad relationship can take so much energy to maintain, you lose a part of yourself with the effort. However, now that you’re single you have the opportunity to reacquaint yourself with any long-forgotten dreams, goals and aspirations. Take full advantage of this.

 

download (4)You’ll Better Appreciate a Keeper

Without some bad in the world, we would never know what was good. The people who find their soulmate right off the bat may have a rougher road ahead because they may find themselves one day wondering if things could have been better. I’m sure you may know a few people who are like this. Consider yourself blessed, as your chances of maintaining a great relationship are much higher now that you’ve learned the difference between a person worth keeping and a person worth tossing aside.

 

You’re the King/Queen of Compromise

Negotiating heated emotions is a technique that is best learned after being thrown into the lion’s den of a bad relationship and forced to cope and adapt. In many ways, a bad relationship puts you at an advantage because it can teach skills that will help you become a better partner in the future. These coping skills will be just what you need to make a good relationship last a lifetime.

You Can Strengthen Your Support System

images (18)It is never good to be the one crying wolf, but a crisis can rebuild lost ties with both friends and loved ones. Take this time to forgive any small disagreements that may be holding you back from asking for help from others. People who face the pain of a bad relationship on their own may seem strong as they develop ways to mask the pain, but those who utilize a support system heal quicker and have an easier time learning from their mistakes.

This Experience Will Help Others

When we have a bad experience, we are often drawn to people who have experienced a similar challenge. These people have the ability to make us feel comforted and understood. Though these moments are painful, what you discover will enable you to one day comfort a friend and help them see how experiencing a bad relationship will also make them a better person.