Bad Things Don't Happen To Good People, Bad Things Create Good People

There is a common saying: “Bad things happen to good people.” It never really irked me before, but it got me to thinking: What makes a person good?

Is it the way a person carries him or herself through daily life, or is it the way a person carries him or herself when sh*t hits the fan? What does it even mean to be "good"? What separates one person from the rest of the pack?

I firmly believe bad things don't happen to good people but, in turn, create them. Everything in life is situational, and the way you react to these situations is what molds and transforms you into the person you are.

Your being is a sum of all of the experiences you had and eventually will have. How you embrace and understand those experiences will shape your mind, body and soul.

When life throws you a curveball, you have two ways to respond to it: You either let it destroy you, or you thrive and become a better person because of it.

Accidents don't deter good people; they reinvent them

The easiest way to react to an accident is to let it consume you and everything around you.

But for good people, this is not the case — they embrace the full effects of said accidents; they let themselves cope and feel.

They don't let the negative energy seep into every aspect of their lives. Instead, they handle the situation, grow stronger from it and move on, taking those lessons they learned with them into the rest of their lives.

Rejection doesn't make them hard and cold; it makes them appreciative and grateful

So what if someone rejects you? Who f*cking cares? You know whose loss that is? Theirs, not yours.

Too many people fear rejection and react poorly to it, but if someone can't see your worth, why are you even wasting your time and energy on caring? Don't care about people who don't care about you.

Toxic relationships don't poison them; they make them immune to bullsh*t

Being in a toxic relationship is the quickest way to lose sight of who you are as a person.

But good people don't let this close them off from the world. Instead, it gives them perspective.

Failure doesn't frustrate them; it motivates them

While failure may be enough to get some people to give up, this has an entirely different meaning for others.

Failure isn't a deterrent; rather, it's a huge motivator to make changes and progress to achieve whatever goals are in front of them.

Mistakes don't break them; they teach them

Too many people let their past mistakes define them, causing them never to look or to push forward.

The strongest individuals use their past as a learning experience, allowing it to create an example of the person they no longer wish to be.

Losing someone doesn't make them question life; it makes them live it up.

The fastest way to realize your own mortality is by having someone close to you pass away.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, a strong person gets the motivation to live his or her life to the fullest.

Hitting rock bottom doesn't make them give up; it makes them work harder

Once you hit rock bottom, there's nowhere to go but up — at least in the minds of most people...

Suffering doesn't defeat them; it teaches them what's worth fighting for

Tough situations are eye-opening experiences that teach you when it's time to rise up and walk away.

Too many people get swallowed in their misery and pain that they can't even think of moving past it. This is exactly what separates one person from the next.

Breaking up doesn't make them lose faith in love; it makes them look for something better

As much as a sh*tty relationship sucks, it really teaches you what you don't want and won't stand for.

Without it, how are you even supposed to figure those things out?

Betrayal doesn't make them trust other people less; it makes them trust themselves more

There's nothing more upsetting than realizing you can't trust a person you once confided in. But all this does is reconfirm the importance of trusting and believing in your instincts.

It may suck at first, but the lesson of learning to follow your gut is one that is invaluable.

Being alone doesn't make them lonely; it helps them figure out who they are

Some people can't stand to be alone, but how do those people every really figure out who they are? You need to get to know yourself first and foremost before you can even think of understanding someone else.

At the end of the day, what doesn't kill people makes them stronger and into the good people they are today.

They are empathetic and considerate; they are powerful and knowledgeable; they are strong in their convictions, and they are in tune with reality.

For more of her thoughts, humor and ridiculous opinions follow Ashley Fern on Instagram and Twitter.