I've been doing a lot of reflecting lately on the moments that have shaped who I am today. Not just the highlight-reel stuff, but the real, sometimes messy experiences that fundamentally shifted something inside me.
As I was putting this list together, I noticed a pattern: so many of these moments were about having a rude awakening or losing some kind of innocence. I know that sounds heavy, and I don't want this to read like "10 Major Negative Life Events" (though let's be honest, some of them were pretty rough). But the thing is, each one taught me something important and pushed me to grow in unexpected ways.
Some of these are specific, defined moments I can point to on a calendar. Others are more like overarching experiences that built up over time until something clicked. But all of them changed my personality in ways I'm still unpacking.