Years ago, I was speaking with a man whom I'd not yet met. We were both on Match.com. He told me that he was "damaged" because he'd been divorced twice. I gently corrected him (since I'd never been married), and simply said that he was more "experienced."
Your words define your reality. Whether they are positive or negative will determine how you view your life. Your words are the frame for the picture of your reality and color it negatively or positively. Looking at your experience as positive, even when it is painful, is essential because you get valuable lessons in those experiences. (If you aren't getting lessons then you are living a "Groundhog Day" life!)
I've had many different relationships over the years and no matter how they've progressed (and many ended), there are always lessons I can take away from each person. I see these as the gift of the experience. The same applies in jobs you may hold, positions you occupy in a company, or businesses you own.
Let go of the idea that you are somehow damaged, let go of failure, and instead view it as experience. Document the lessons you've learned so you can move forward lighter and brighter, instead of hauling ugly baggage.
