Monica Lewinsky wrote about what she has learned in the 25 years since her affair with former President Bill Clinton.

In a piece for Vanity Fair, the activist and writer, 49, shared what she has learned in the 25 years since she was a White House intern.

“We’ve all made mistakes. It’s bound to happen. “Get comfortable with mistakes,” Lewinsky wrote. Her affair with Clinton, 76, made headlines on Jan. 21, 1998, and ultimately led to his impeachment.

“You can’t run away from your story,” she added.

Lewinsky said to choose friends carefully. She wrote, “Twenty-five years ago, I had one of the world’s worst friends.” Linda Tripp. Lewinsky said she has let go of her resentment and bitterness toward Tripp. She added that she is grateful to have been able to trust new people.

On another note, Lewinsky joked about her past relationship with Clinton, saying, “As time passes, one’s taste in partners improves.” (Wink.),” and she ended by saying, “You can survive the unimaginable.”

In 2021, Lewinsky talked to PEOPLE about her political scandal in the 1990s. Her life was publicly examined and criticized, including her appearance.

“We didn’t have words for it then,” Lewinsky told PEOPLE. “It was painful.”

“I don’t like having my photo taken,” she said. “Twenty-plus years on, there’s still a mental tape of those traumatic experiences.”

Lewinsky added, “I already had low self-esteem, and being the target of ridicule didn’t help.”

Looking back, Lewinsky told PEOPLE about the Clinton scandal, “At 22, I was awestruck by the White House, the presidency, and this man with amazing energy and charisma who was paying attention to me.”

“I was in love with him,” she said. “He was charismatic, and I was hooked.”

Lewinsky said she didn’t need a Clinton apology. “If I had been asked five years ago, I would have wanted something.” I want to feel closure or understanding. I’m grateful I don’t need that.”

Lewinsky wants to keep discussing how men with power treat those without it.

“It wasn’t just about losing a job. It was about power. The power to be believed, the power to be immune from the press, the power to have others smear someone’s reputation, the power to understand consequences,” she said.