8 signs your worst experiences actually made you a better person, according to psychology - Silicon Canals

"Nobody tells you that getting laid off might be one of the best things that ever happened to you. When I lost my job during those brutal media industry cuts, I spent four months in my pajamas, eating cereal for dinner, and questioning every career choice I'd ever made. But here's the strange part: looking back now, that experience fundamentally changed who I am as a person. And I mean that in the best possible way."

"We tend to view our worst experiences as things we need to "get over" or "move past." But what if these challenging moments are actually shaping us into better, more resilient versions of ourselves? Psychology research increasingly shows that adversity, when processed properly, can lead to profound personal growth. Researchers even have a term for it: post-traumatic growth. So how do you know if your struggles have actually made you stronger?"

"Remember when you used to secretly judge people who couldn't just "get it together"? Yeah, me too. Then life happened. After my panic attack during that deadline crunch, I finally understood what my anxious friends had been dealing with all along. Suddenly, I wasn't offering quick fixes or telling people to "just breathe." I was sitting with them in their discomfort, genuinely understanding their struggle."

Losing a job during industry cuts triggered months of demoralization, isolation, and self-questioning, including spending weeks in pajamas and eating cereal for dinner. That painful period ultimately produced a profound personal change and greater resilience. Adversity, when processed properly, can stimulate post-traumatic growth characterized by increased empathy and compassion. Personal panic and anxiety experiences can create deeper understanding of others' struggles and a shift from offering quick fixes to sitting with people in discomfort. Research links experienced adversity with a higher likelihood of helping others in crisis and recognizing what actually helps versus what sounds good in theory.

Read at Silicon Canals