The other day I was combing through a few of my old journals looking for random poems I’ve written. Sometimes I’ll be inspired in the middle of an entry and I’ll haul off and just write what’s in my mind. While looking for them, I started reading over the various entries when I was involved in my past relationships.

Let’s just say I wrote quite often when I was involved with those particular men.

Now a person could just sit and start tearing themselves down like Why didn’t I see it coming and What the hell was I thinking being involved with them? Now I’ll admit in the early stages when a relationship falls apart, I’ve asked myself the same questions. Sometimes you see or remember an ex and wonder just what the hell you were smoking when you’d decided to be with them.

Honestly, with each relationship I’ve had, I’ve learned a lot from. I’ve learned how to be better selective when dating, what I will and will not tolerate and just what it is that I want. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had the nasty habit of putting myself dead last in the past—under the guise of compromising—and it’s only been to my detriment. Now that I’m a bit older, I’ve become a bit wiser and a lot more awesome!

From time to time, I’ll share some verses I’ve penned—I’m proud of them. But I’d also like to hear from you. What have you learned from your past relationships and do you feel you’re a better person after your trial(s) by fire?