Everyone dreams of having a perfect rejection-free life. We want things to work out exactly the way we originally planned and live a life of success after success. Unfortunately, that’s never how life works out.

Rather than a steady, forward motion, life is more like a roller coaster of ups, downs and toss-arounds. And while that might feel more difficult in the moment, looking back, you can see how beneficial rejection and failure can be to your well-being. Here are a few reasons why everyone needs to experience rejection a few times in their life:

Rejection gives you the chance to refocus

Have you ever been rejected from something, then realized it’s probably not what you wanted in the first place? Often times, rejection from one thing is simply preparation for something bigger and better – something that will make you happier and more satisfied. Rejection can allow you the chance to ask yourself, “is this really what I want?” or “What’s most important to me in this situation?”

Often times, rejection is the obstacle that throws you back to the right path.

It gives you the chance to be proud of yourself for trying

Here’s the things about life without rejection: it means you’re playing it too safe. It means you’re afraid to venture out beyond your comfort zone and do things that scare you a little bit.

Never ever be ashamed for trying something that scares you a little bit – even if you don’t get the result you were hoping for, the fact that you stretched yourself and took advantages of opportunities to grow is huge. And you will definitely grow from it!

It teaches us patience

Rejection gives us the chance to decide whether or not something we want is really worth it. If it’s not worth it, you can let go and move on. If it is worth it, you’re willing to wait and work for it. And when it does finally come, it makes it that much sweeter.

It gives us the chance to explore

Maybe you were set on following one path in life, but maybe that path closed its gate to you. Rather than sitting around and hoping it will one day open for you, you can take advantage of the opportunity to explore other paths – and maybe even find one that is better suited for you!

It makes us strong

You’ve heard that saying “the strongest fish is the one that swims upstream.” Have you ever met those kinds of people whose lives seem to work out perfectly, but crumble the second they’re placed under pressure?

Experiencing rejection can help make you strong and build up that tough skin of yours. Because times are going to get tough – but because of your past experiences, you’ll be able to tackle anything that comes your way.