7 Life Lessons Only Rock Bottom can Teach You

7 Life Lessons Only Rock Bottom can Teach You

Life doesn’t always keep its blessed palms over your head. Things change, tragedies happen, and you reach rock bottom. You think you can never get back, you think things will never get better. (But they always do)

Having said that, rock bottom can definitely give you a lot to deal with, like pain, suffering, hardships, that you might want to run away from every day. But the bright side is, it gives you life lessons that you couldn’t have learned any other way.

Here are some that you might relate to.

7 life lessons only rock bottom can teach you

1. What you thought were the worst days, were good days

How often have you thought you were unhappy, even when everything around you was kind of okay? I betLife Lessons Only Rock Bottom can Teach You there are plenty of days when you cried yourself to sleep thinking life couldn’t get worse than this. But now, when you actually hit the rock bottom, were the past days not better?

Sadly, you only realize this when you reach the lowest point. You would give anything to go back to those previous days – the days you thought were the worst. And when you get out of these days, you will look back on them and realize how grateful you can be today and tomorrow with those days behind you. 

2. Everything is temporary

Nothing can be permanent; not people, not the phases of life, not even good days. It’s funny how we believe that things are going to stay the same until they do not. One day you might have a roof over your head, the other day you won’t. One day you’ll have people who you thought were for a lifetime, but the next day, they vanish.

Having said that, when you reach rock bottom, tables turn. Your life witnesses a lot of transitions that you thought were possible, but you never imagined yourself being in that shoe. When you hit rock bottom, you can assess the people and things in your life and really decide if you need them, or if they were obstacles in your journey, maybe even holding you down. Once you free them and yourself, you can start to look for theman alone in the streets at night light and the lessons. 

3. Life can never be constant

Life is like a road. You can never drive on a smooth and straight road forever. There comes a time, when you have to drive through bumps and potholes. In simple words, things don’t remain the same, no matter how bad you want them to be. It’s a fact that you have to come to terms with.

Nonetheless, there’s still hope though. If life isn’t constant, and good days do not stay, that means, bad days won’t either. Life can never be a straight line. You learn it only after hitting the rock bottom. 

My absolute favorite quote is by Coco Chanel and it says, “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” The sooner you learn this in life the better you will be when it comes to hitting rock bottom and bouncing back.

4. You have a choice, you always do

They say you are the writer of your own life. The quote has several layers to it if you think about it. You mightman thinking in the couch not think you are the writer because you cannot control some things in life – especially tragedies. But at the same time, you can control how to react to those situations. (In this case, you’re the writer)

That being said, you always have a choice. That choice might not be controlling the event, but how you react. Imagine this, you are walking down the road, but you fall down. You’re injured and in pain. What can you do? You can either sit there, do nothing about it, and let the pain consume you, or you can scream, get up, and get yourself help. The choice is yours.

Thus, even when you are at rock bottom, you have the choice to stay there or get out of it, no matter what.

5. You learn new lessons even if you don’t want to

There’s a quote that goes around – “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. There is no denying that tragedies do make you stronger. You do not just gain strength but you gain lessons too. But even when you know there’s a lot to take, you’d give anything away to not learn those lessons, at least this way. In other words, you don’t want to learn things the hard way.

But then again, as we do not decide the syllabus we study, we cannot decide what lessons we learn. It’s all planned. So, we might as well accept the lessons even when we don’t want to. Always remember, the lessons are put there for a reason, and the sooner you learn and implement them, the better you will be in life.

6. You gain wisdom and maturity

Once again, you always have something to gain (even when you don’t want to). This includes wisdom andsad woman with hand on her head maturity. How?

It’s simple – When you hit the rock bottom, you learn how to manage things, how to get back. You gain the insights that you can use in the future to make better and wiser decisions in life. Everyone has hit rock bottom at some point in their life whether they realize it or not. Yours may have been shorter than mine or someone else’s, which doesn’t matter. What matters is how you implemented the wisdom and maturity during your time and where you took it from there. 

7. You start becoming more grateful

As they say, you only discern the importance of things when you lose them. Hitting rock bottom can make you lose everything – sometimes you even lose yourself. It is only when you look back at how life used to be back then, you realize what you had was good.

So, when you rise, and things get better, you become more grateful because you knew what it felt like to lose everything and everyone you got. You begin to cherish people, cherishing moments more than ever. You have better discernment for those in your life who are there to keep you down and those who will help you back up. 

Sometimes rock bottom is the best place to be to find your true self and what you are meant to do in this life. It may not seem it at the time, but the things you needed to go through are important lessons to have and learn. Once you learn them, you can move on to the next thing to build yourself back up. Trust me, rock bottom is a lesson we all have to go through at some point or another, and the lessons are essential. Hang in there, you will get through it.

6 Ways to Help your Child Overcome the Fear of Failure

6 Ways to Help your Child Overcome the Fear of Failure

6 Ways to Help your Child Overcome the Fear of Failure

We might not know what the future holds for us, but what we do know is that it holds failures. Failures are inevitable, so we might as well not be surprised if they knock on our doors. As parents, we have been down the road, we have failed, we have succeeded. In short, we have survived it all. But our children have not – they are young, and they have plenty to see in their lives – that includes both failures and successes. 

But as much as how progressing failures can be (if we look at the bigger picture), failures can be extremely frightening – so much so that one may not be able to grow, or do what they should do because of the fear of failures. In other words, the fear of failures can be like a cage, and you wouldn’t want your kids to be inside it.

As parents, that’s the last thing we want for our kids.

So, if you agree, and want your child to overcome this fear, here are a few ways you can try.

6 ways to help your child overcome the fear of failure

1. Change your responses

Trust me, when it comes to failures, your responses matter a lot. Your response towards failures will shapeGirl at breakfast place their response towards it. Meaning, if you consider failure like the end of the world, they’ll consider the same. So, be mindful of how you react to your own failures, as well as your child’s.

For instance, if your child fails the test, don’t reprimand or punish them. If you do, it will only send one message that failure is a sin. You don’t want it to happen, do you? The right reaction in this scenario would be, “It’s okay, it’s not the end of the world. You will have another test coming. You will always have chances to score better and become better.”

2. Focus on efforts more than accomplishments

What do you do when your child wins the contest or scores well? You go out to celebrate. But what do you do when they don’t win or score excellent? You neither celebrate it nor congratulate them.

Think through. Doesn’t it in a way reinforce that failures are nothing but a disgrace? It does, and it’s high time you change it if you want your kid to overcome the fear of failure.

You can do that by focusing on your child’s efforts more than accomplishments. Every time your child achieves something, don’t congratulate them for that but congratulate them for making efforts. Even if they don’t achieve something, do the same – recognize and praise their efforts.

I have learned this first hand with Leila and her swimming because it’s such a tough sport where you literally compete for hundredths of a second time improvement or even placing. At first, it was disappointing for me when she would get disqualified for something simple seeming in my mind. I then realized she needed those moments to help her grow and learn, which became an accomplishment the next meet when she improved her time and didn’t get disqualified. We celebrate when she finishes and doesn’t get a DQ and also when she does great.

3. Be supportive of your child at all times

Sometimes, children only fear failure because they think it will disappoint their parents. But supporting themMother and two daughters at all times can change their perspective. In other words, you don’t have to be supportive only when your child is participating in a contest, or during their exams. Instead, support them at all times.

Doing so will make your kids reassured that even if they fail, it won’t be the end of the world because their parents will be there for them, no matter what.

Again, another swim lesson I learned. The very first time Leila got a DQ at a meet, I was so concerned with what happened, I didn’t realize how she felt and how she thought I was disappointed in her. I was sad for her more than anything because she just swam an amazing race and she didn’t have anything to show for it more than disappointed in her! But my tone and questions made it seem I was disappointed not sad. Sometimes we have to look at our tone more than our other actions.

4. Encourage them to focus on finding solutions

There are two types of people in the world – Type one, those who consider failures as the end of the world, and type two are those who don’t let their emotions take over the control, and focus on finding solutions.

So, you guessed it right, you have to train your child to be in the second category. Let them know that failures don’t matter as much as our reactions. Don’t let them associate failures with incapability, instead consider failure as an opportunity to make things right.

Now, when Leila gets a DQ (thank goodness less often), she knows what she can work on in practice and come back the next meet stronger and better. She doesn’t let it stop her and even makes her a better swimmer and person because of it.

5. Let them know there’s no success without failure

The world talks of the final success, but no one talks of the journey in between. In other words, there’s no6 Ways to Help your Child Overcome the Fear of Failure success without failures, and you have to let your child know that. If they didn’t win a race, it doesn’t mean they won’t ever.

As said before, perceive failures as a sign to become better and correct your mistakes, when you do that, it’s a given that you will do things right.

Success story for Leila — she got a Disqualification in her 100 meter butterfly in January and in February she cut enough time to place in the top 10 but also qualified her for the Junior Olympics meet, which she needed to cut about 20 seconds to qualify for. If she didn’t get the disqualification in January, she probably wouldn’t have improved her technique enough to cut all that time to qualify the next month in the same event! Not only did the disqualification help her in the 100 butterfly, it also helped her improve her time in the 50 meter butterfly!

6. Share your own stories

Sometimes, it feels good to know that you’re not the only one. Likewise, it might make your child feel better if they realize that they are not the only ones who didn’t do well or failed. There are millions like them – and that includes you. If you have a story to share, feel free to do that. Inspire them with your stories, or of others, you know.

Turn back the dial; go into the past, and think of the moments in life you felt that everything is going downhill. But you didn’t give up, and you just turned out fine.

 

I believe failure is a lifelong process for which we as parents have a lifetime to help our children get over that fear. Heck, there are probably some things to this day you are afraid to fail of, I know I have things I am afraid to fail! No one is perfect, but the quicker we help our children understand that failure is part of the process and how much we can learn from it, the better they will be in the long run. So don’t forget to share your own stories of failure and be supportive when they do fail. Be patient in the process and even celebrate the failures as much as the successes! 

Tips for Being a More Responsible Traveler

Tips for Being a More Responsible Traveler

We all love to travel – to be away from the stressful life, toxic people; and stay in the most peaceful state of mind. There are a million reasons I can list down, but what can I say we are running against the clock, so I’ll stick to one.

We love traveling, most importantly because we take with us a lot of memories of the places we visited, and the moments we spent.  You might as well agree – glad you do. But take a moment and wonder, what we leave behind?

Frankly speaking, nothing but damage and ignorance. Environmentally speaking, if you count on the waste we generate for the environment and the resources we use in abundance as if we would never run out of them, it’s just too much to ignore. Culturally speaking, we hand in our neglect to the communities’ services and culture.

That’s not what a responsible traveler does, right? A responsible traveler respects and acknowledges both the environment and culture.

So, if you haven’t had a chance to think this through, but you do agree, here are some tips you can follow to become a more responsible traveler.

Tips for being a more responsible traveler

1. Respect Locals

You might have paid for the services and experience you are getting, but it’s no reason to feel thatTips for Being a More Responsible Traveler you’re entitled or you’re doing them a favor. If you feel that way, then it is a very toxic approach, and you need to change that.

Nevertheless, the service providers, locals, and the culture deserve your respect. This includes being on your best behavior that doesn’t cause inconvenience to them. For instance, you cannot take photos of locals without their approval. At the same time, you cannot complain about the food to the locals who serve you with love and admiration. Everybody’s human and humans make mistakes. It’s okay. You don’t have to be hard on them.

2. Respect the culture

With different cultures as yours, come different mindsets. You might not be on the same page with the other culture, but it doesn’t mean you show disrespect or voice out your opinion in front of them. You are the guest, and you have to live by the rules.

For instance, when you are in a temple, or any other religious place, follow the culture or abide by the simple rules. Be mindful of your tone, language, and dress-up. Do it to respect the culture, even if you have different beliefs.

3. Enjoy cultural experiences

The locals love it when you devote your time and energy to have a taste of their culture. They give it all totourists at the beach provide a memorable, exotic, and authentic cultural experience.

Thus, for any local, it feels good to see that you are enjoying it. It’s a moment of pride for them

Thus, to be a responsible citizen, all you have to do is embrace their culture for as long as you are there. This is for international as well as domestic travel. Living in a heavy tourist state and area like Arizona, we have a vast local culture that is influenced by Native Americans as well as people who have moved here from all over the country to live and provide for those visiting. This can include little things like,

  • Shopping for cultural souvenirs.
  • Going in for cultural experiences like joining a local tour, trying out traditions.
  • Talk politely and lovingly to locals. Pass a smile, and words of encouragement and appreciation.
  • Learn their language.
  • Respect their dress codes.  
  • Bargain respectfully when you are shopping from locals.

4. Avail local services

The big business and commerce tycoons don’t care if you enjoy their products and services. But locals do. Call it their modesty or humbleness but they don’t see you as outsiders, they see you as their own – whichlocal food reflects in their services.

Ergo, it’s always wiser to opt for local services – this includes choosing local markets over malls, eating out at local restaurants instead of Burger King and McDonald’s. Not only it brings them joy but it also helps their economy and their lifestyle.

The cherry on the cake is, it’s environmentally friendly as well. You reduce the carbon footprint by opting out of services that heavily consume and exploit resources.

5. Conserve resources

No one likes a heavy electricity bill, locals don’t either. Not to mention, resources are scarce, no matter which part of the world’s resources you use. We have to protect them for the sake of mankind, together.

Here are a few tips that can help

  • Don’t exploit your hotel’s resources – this includes electricity and as little things as paper napkins and toilet paper.
  • Watch your step – don’t step on little plants and flowers.
  • Walk or use public transport as much as you can.
  • Don’t ask for plastic bottles, paper, or plastic bags, carry your own.

 6. Give out tips, provide financial help

Not everybody has money. You might be fortunate enough, but the locals or the people who serve you might not be. They might share a smile with you, but who knows if they’re struggling to make their ends meet.

Having said that, being generous with tips can help them tremendously. If you think you can do more, you can even find local ethnicities, or foundations to donate a generous amount to them. Who knows if your kindness can make someone’s life better?

Lastly, remember – You don’t owe anything to anybody, but you owe the environment, culture, and most importantly, yourself to become a responsible traveler. 

The Ultimate Utah Road Trip for Some Serious Desert Magic

The Ultimate Utah Road Trip for Some Serious Desert Magic

Fascinating red rock formations, utterly dramatic desert landscapes, unparalleled hiking trails, and vistas that look straight out of this world are just a few staples of a road trip through Utah.

If you’re currently in the planning stages of your Utah itinerary, chances are you’re feeling a tad bit overwhelmed with options. To help you out a little, we decided to craft a list of the absolute best destinations that need to be on your bucket list while road tripping around Utah’s desert magic!

The Ultimate Utah Road Trip for Some Serious Desert Magic

Zion National Park

Sandstone cliffs that come in all shades of color, congregations of desert wildlife you never even knewUtah Road Trip destinations existed, and vistas that will take your breath away are what make Zion National Park a must in any Utah itinerary.

 

The best part? Zion’s got a little something for everyone. Whether you’re keen to hit a few hiking trails, try your hand at rock climbing, or test out your mountain biking skills, there are plenty of ways to explore Zion’s alluring terrain. 

 

A surefire way to see some of the best this stunning park has to offer is by hiking The Narrows. It’s a 16-mile trail that will have you walking, hiking, and wading your way through a narrow canyon of red rock walls. Another must-do hike in Zion is Angel’s Landing. Which is a little shorter than The Narrows and will have you finishing the adventure at one of Zion’s most iconic views.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon’s allure lies in the fact that it’s home to the largest collection of hoodoos in the world. HoodoosBryce Canyon National Park are large spires of rock that protrude from the ground. And seeing hundreds of them gathered together at Bryce Canyon’s magnificent amphitheater is guaranteed to leave you in awe.

 

Thanks to its relatively small size, Bryce Canyon can easily be explored in a day or two. One of the best ways to see its highlights is by driving down the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive. Which cuts right across the park and provides viewpoints to some of the main attractions without having to break a sweat. 

 

If you’re up for a challenge, though, put your hiking shoes on and brave the Queen’s Garden Trail. Which will have you making your way through tremendous views of hoodoos down below as well as staggering natural archways you can walk under. Another must-do hike for those who would rather avoid the crowds is the Fairy Land Trail. This will give you an epic overview of the entire canyon and killer views of hoodoos.

Monument Valley

Being one of America’s most iconic landmarks, Monument Valley is known for its stunning sandstone buttesMonument Valley and maze-like hiking trails. Moreover, the entire area surrounding it brims with Old West and Native American history. Which adds a ton of value to its emblematic beauty.

 

Tip: Monument Valley is a wonderful spot to try your hand at horse riding! Whether you love the experience or not, you’re guaranteed to feel as though you’re living inside an Old West film!

 

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef is often overshadowed by Utah’s more popular national parks. But we highly recommendCapitol Reef National Park making time for it in your Utah itinerary. Especially if you’re into more adventurous experiences like backcountry hiking and mountaineering. If you’re not super keen on getting sweaty, though, there are scenic roads that cover all sections of the park. So there’s no excuse not to pay this gem of a national park a visit to check out its highlights!

 

What makes Capitol Reef so special is the fact that it’s home to the Waterpocket Fold, a “wrinkle” on the ground’s surface that extends almost 100 miles into the desert. Which creates a dramatically beautiful landscape of canyons, bridges, arches, and rugged cliffs. As if that weren’t enough, the park is also home to ancient petroglyphs, native history like no other. And a vast array of wildlife you wouldn’t expect to see in the desert.

Related: The Most Scenic Drives in Arizona

Dead Horse Point State Park

Ever wondered what starring in a Western movie would feel like? Visiting Dead Horse Point will bring youDead Horse Point State Park pretty close to that feeling. In fact, Thelma and Louise’s final scene was filmed here. Which should be enough to convince you to visit this impressive State Park in Moab!

 

Although usually overlooked by travelers to Moab, Dead Horse Point is a collection of dramatic desert views and epic hiking trails. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also throw in a day spent exploring caves or an afternoon trying your hand at horse riding.

 

Moreover, this is a great spot to experience what sleeping in the desert is like. Especially if you’ve always dreamed of sleeping in an authentic yurt! 

Arches National Park

Natural red rock arches and exceptionally beautiful desert vistas are the staples of Arches National Park.Arches National Park Utah Road Trip With over 2000 natural arches and an array of strange rock formations to see, this mesmerizing desert oasis is a must on your Utah road trip.

 

Whether you’re feeling in the mood for hiking in the desert (make sure to do the Landscape and Double Arch trails!) or would much prefer to see the highlights from the comfort of your car, there’s no shortage of ways to explore Arches regardless of your travel style. If you’re feeling up for a serious adventure, make sure to snag a spot to hike Fiery Furnace, which is a maze of narrow passageways and towering sandstone walls that will leave you awe-struck.

Canyonlands National Park 

Sweeping views of canyons, whacky-looking red rock formations lining the sky, and birds-eye views of the desert are just a few of the things that make Canyonlands National Park such a unique place to see.

 

Due to the fact that Canyonlands is absolutely humongous, you could actually focus your entire Utah trip justCanyonlands National Park Utah Road Trip on it and still not get to see even half of the things it has to offer. So make sure you plan at least a few days to explore the main highlights!

 

The national park is divided into three sections: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. If you don’t have much time or aren’t very experienced with hiking under rough conditions, Island in the Sky is the best place for you to get an introduction to Canyonlands. Because the trails here are relatively short and easy to follow. 

 

If you’re feeling up for a backcountry adventure, though, head to The Needles for some more challenging hikes that you’ll get pretty much all to yourself. If you’re the intrepid type, The Maze is the ultimate adventure for you. But do make sure you plan things to the T as it’s considered one of the most remote regions in the country!

 

In conclusion, it’s pretty much impossible to get bored while traveling in Utah. Even though the places mentioned in this post are just a few in the list of incredible spots this wonder state has to offer, these destinations are some of the most iconic and a pretty good way to get an introduction to the best it has to offer!

 

Have you ever visited any of these destinations in Utah? Which one was your favorite? Let me know all about it in the comments section below!

7 Powerful Ways to Respond When your Child Complains

7 Powerful Ways to Respond When your Child Complains

Your kid can be your little munchkins, sugar candies, the apple of your eyes, and whatnot. But when they are complaining, and creating a mess of things, they can be a nightmare to deal with. Leaving you no other choice than to admit defeat.

It is okay if it happens once or twice, but you cannot do it all the time. I mean, you cannot buy them an expensive toy, if it’s out of your budget. That being said, not all their demands are reasonable, and if you fulfill them all, you might be making your child stubborn and adding more trouble for yourself.

Thus, you have to know how to handle your child when they complain or demand something. If you don’t address this when they are young, it can continue into their childhood and teen years, trust me, I’m going through it right now as well. Here are some tips to get us all through: 

7 powerful ways to respond when your child complains

1. Listen to them

Even if you don’t agree with your child’s demands or complaints, the least you can do is give them themother and son satisfaction that you listened.

Doing otherwise, responding without listening can make them feel unappreciated and undervalued. As a positive parent, you cannot afford to do that. But at the same time, it does mean you must submit to their demands to make them feel valued. Ergo, the wise thing is to just listen to them – not to respond, but to understand their demand and perspective.

2. Set time limits

Sometimes, kids might not make demands for new toys, but they whine and complain about other things that might be equally unreasonable. Complaining is valid on their part because, like any human being, it feels good to let out. So, allow them to do that by setting time limits. I let our girls go a maximum of five minutes to complain about something, and then I ask them to stop and forget about it. It usually doesn’t even last that long, because what they complain about isn’t life altering. 

3. Provide them with a choice

If you do not agree with their demand, provide them with an alternative if you can. Taking the same example – If you think an expensive toy is out of the question, settle for something else that your kid might enjoy. Perhaps a similar yet cheaper option or a trip to their favorite place.

Go on about it like this, “I wouldn’t be able to get you that toy, but if you’d like to go to a carnival, I can takeWays to Respond When your Child Complains you out. Think – this is the only thing you can get.”

Providing them with a choice, wouldn’t make them think that they’re powerless.

“We are only going to talk about it for five minutes. So, you have only 5 minutes to discuss. Beyond which we won’t touch the same topic. We can talk about something else, and have a healthy discussion”

4. Be mindful of how you respond

When dealing with kids, you have to be very mindful of what you say and what you do, as it can hurt children. For instance, if you don’t agree with a demand, don’t scream at your kid. Handle the situation smartly. The last thing you would want them to think is that they are not loved and understood.

Moreover, even if you don’t reprimand them, you still have to be careful with your words. Using positive words would make the situation easier to handle without any repercussions.

At the same time, having a playful approach can do wonders. Try to make them laugh.

5. Empathize with kids

Sometimes, even though you find your kid’s demand unreasonable, it can be sourced from something very human and affectionate. So, your job is to recognize the source.

For instance, if you find your kid begging you to take a day off from work to take them to a zoo, it might notmom and son at the beach necessarily be because they want to visit the place, but because they feel distant from you. It can be possible that you might not be giving them enough time lately, and it can be the reason they’re acting out.

6. Tell them your side/ your opinion

If you don’t agree with their demands, tell them why. Don’t leave them hanging. Giving them a reason would communicate to them that you heard them, but are helpless or have your own reasons.

For instance, taking the example in point 5, tell them why you cannot take them out to the zoo. Tell them you have a meeting ahead, and a busy day at work. Offer them another day you might be able to take them to the zoo or do something else with you to make the connection closer again. 

7. Lastly, Offer them a distraction

When nothing works – give them a distraction. The trick has worked for generations, it might work for you as well. However, do make sure that you do this as a last resort. Meaning ensuring that you first listen to their demands, empathize with them, give them the choice, offer them your reason and your opinion, and then try this method.

For instance, if your kid is demanding a new expensive toy in the middle of the mall, but it is out of your budget, distract them with a different scene, for instance, a mall decoration, or any kid nearby. Trust me when it comes to it, there are a million distractions you can use.

We all go through the complaining phase at one time or another with our children, and it’s our job as parents to ensure our child is being heard and acknowledged for their concerns but within a certain timeframe. It’s important to not let them get carried away, or coerce you into something you know isn’t necessary. Try to distract them with something else or offer an alternative if you are not able to give them exactly what they want. At the end of the day, you are doing great and know we all go through it one time or another!