When I was younger, I used to think that I could only be grateful for things that were in alignment with what I liked and what were healthy or ‘good’ for me.

As I have grown, I have come to understand that gratitude can be for people and things that are ‘bad’ or not in alignment with what I like because they can be the greatest teachers that one will ever have.

Contrary to what we may want to think, it is often the negative people that teach us most about ourselves and our paths.

Here are 12 things that I surprisingly grateful for:

1. My flaws because they allow me to accept others’ flaws too.

2. When people are negative or nasty towards me because it reminds to practice kindness.

3. When people try to use me because it reminds me to set clear boundaries so that I can do what I can to avoid being used moving forward.

4. When someone ignore me because it reminds me who is meant to be in my life and who isn’t.

5. When someone is fake or condescending towards me because it reminds to be sincere.

6. When someone speaks mistruths about me because it reminds me that I am the only one who can speak my own truth.

7. When someone projects their insecurities onto me because it reminds me that I need to deal with my own.

8. When someone expects me to be perfect because it reminds me that how they feel is an extension of themselves and that I need to extend compassion and acceptance for others to grow.

9. When someone betrays my trust because it just proves that they weren’t meant to be in life anyways.

10. When someone plays games with me because it helps me ask myself if I have outgrown or games or willing to play with them.

11. When someone tries to control me because it reminds me that I can only be controlled if I give them control over me.

12. When someone insults my physical appearance because it reminds me to focus on my inner beauty so that I can exude a beauty that is from my core, outwards.