After learning that I had breast cancer, I realized I couldn’t take my life for granted anymore. Everything I valued could be lost and taken away. But what did I value? What in my life was meaningful, or what gave my life meaning? I underwent almost a year of taxing surgeries, and then spent another year recovering. During this time, I was forced to reevaluate my life with a clarifying lens. What was really important to me? Do the material things I have really matter? What kind of good work am I doing that can help others? I learned so much about myself and what is required to be happy and fulfilled in life.

In the video below I talk more about how you can pull positive realizations out of an otherwise traumatic event:

What are some things that you realized about yourself or your life after going through a tough time? Let us know in the comments below.