7 Celebrities Who Bounced Back From Their Mistakes and We Can All Learn From Them

Everyday experiences, whether good or bad, can leave us with a teachable moment. The same goes for celebrities, who find a silver lining in difficult situations, challenges, or from their loved ones.

So, we at Bright Side put the spotlight on those who were not only able to overcome challenges, but also learned to grow with them along the way.

1. Jennifer Garner on waiting for the right time to get married

Jennifer wished she had waited until she was in her 30s to get married. Her first marriage was in her 20s with actor Scott Foley, which ended in divorce two and a half years later. She expressed how the process of divorce was a crushing experience and left her beyond heartbroken. Despite all that, she was able to move on and kept her belief and marriage and that she would find someone she can commit to and raise children with.

2. Oprah Winfrey on being fired from her first job

Oprah’s first job in television was as an evening news reporter for Baltimore’s WJZ-TV. After seven months, she was fired by the producer for being too emotionally invested in the stories and told her that she was “unfit for television news.” She later said that she had no idea that the experience was going to be the greatest growing period of her adult life. The producer then offered Oprah a role on a daytime TV show, People Are Talking, which became a hit.

3. The Rock on not having his dream come true

Prior to being a professional wrestler and then a Hollywood actor, Dwayne Johnson played at the Canadian Football League when he was 22 years old. He was a step closer to his dream of being able to play in the NFL. Two days after his first pro-football game, he was cut and sent home with only $7 in his pocket. Years later, he realized that the one thing that he always dreamed of was one of the best things that never happened to him because it got him to where his now. “Have faith and keep lugging away,” he says.

4. Serena Williams on why being a champion is not all about victories

Serena Williams may be one of the greatest tennis players of all time but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t experienced any losses in her career. In fact, she credits her losses as critical points of her legacy. With a record of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, Serena defines a champion not by their victories but by how they can recover when they lose. She may have fallen several times but each time she comes back and tries to do better.

5. Angelina Jolie on being aware of her mistakes as a parent

The supermom of 6 is not afraid to admit that she is not a perfect mother. She says that she has become increasingly aware of the things she doesn’t do right while raising her children. As a result, she has learned to view them as “six very individual human beings,” and she considers herself to be a family member who is among them not above them. She also credits being transparent and honest with her children always.

6. Rihanna on the importance of failure

Rihanna firmly believes that instead of considering things to be mistakes, treat them as lessons. In fact, she took this to heart and had a tattoo written backward so she can read it when she’s facing a mirror. She also credits criticisms as motivation for her to work harder citing the time when music critics dismissed her single Pon De Replay as a one-hit-wonder. She took it as a challenge to improve saying, “Every time it was about challenging myself, I have to do better.”

7. Jennifer Lopez on slowing down and the lessons she learned from her children

A parent may be a child’s first teacher but in J.Lo’s case, she is the one learning from her kids about life and love. She says that her children always challenge her and enlighten her about patience and understanding.

Which of these stories inspired you the most? Do you have other celebrities you can add to this list? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments!

Rihanna’s 10-month-old son is stealing hearts and interrupting workouts, as revealed in a candid video shared by the star. The video, which has been watched 27 million times, shows her son wiggling around while Rihanna tries to exercise. A source close to the couple notes that both Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are “very happy and focused on their baby boy.” The couple is also expecting their second child, adding another layer of excitement to their lives.