The true measurement of self-worth is not how a person feels about her positive experiences, but rather how she feels about her negative experiences. - Mark Manson

You don’t control the outcome, only your effort.
You don’t choose their opinions, only your actions.
You don’t decide whether it hurts, only what it means.

And when it is a gift, when it is honest, she recognizes and appreciates a man who genuinely appreciates her. These men are rare. Women are people too (radical idea, I know). And as people, we all value those who genuinely value us, not expecting something in return.

People who enjoy the struggles of a gym are the ones who run triathlons and have chiseled abs and can bench-press a small house. People who enjoy long workweeks and the politics of the corporate ladder are the ones who fly to the top of it. People who enjoy the stresses and uncertainties of the starving artist lifestyle are ultimately the ones who live it and make it. This is not about willpower or grit. This is not another admonishment of “no pain, no gain.” This is the most simple and basic component of life: our struggles determine our successes.