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7 Behaviors All Toxic People Display Within 5 Minutes Of Meeting Someone

By
Riley Cooper

People come in all shapes and sizes, and, unfortunately, there are these highly negative, draining, and insufferable people that can suck the energy and happiness out of you before you can even blink. Yes, you guessed it – the toxic people.

With billions of people in the world, it’s normal to come across this kind of people at one point or another during your lifetime. They literally lurk around every corner.  

These people are the masters of all manipulation tactics and mind games. They defy logic and they can poison your mind and heart within seconds.

To prevent a toxic person from manipulating you and filling you with negative energy, you need to be able to immediately recognize when you’re dealing with one. Fortunately, when it comes to this kind of people, first impressions do count.

Here are 7 behaviors toxic people display within 5 minutes of meeting someone:

1. They complain 24/7.

“The weather is too hot; the meal is too cold; the music is too loud; their job is lame; their partner is insanely jealous; their kids are so irritating; their boss is a pain in the *ss.” Their complaining never stops.

Being in the company of a toxic person can literally suck all the positive energy out of you and leave you feeling frustrated and exhausted. So, make sure you steer clear of them.

2. They expect you to treat them like they’re special.

Toxic people, especially narcissists, feel entitled to everyone’s attention, time, and praise. They consider themselves smarter, better, and more important than you and therefore expect you to treat them as such.

3. They gossip.

Gossip is meaningless and vile, but there are people who simply don’t agree with this. People who are toxic don’t mind spreading all kinds of lies about someone and talking bad things behind their back.

So, if you find yourself in the company of someone who talks sh*t about people they know nothing about, just ignore them and walk away.

4. They brag about their successes.

Toxic people can go on and on boasting about their skills, talents, accomplishments, and successes even when they meet you for the first time. They’ll brag about how smart, successful, and happy they are and what an amazing career they have.

They’ll spend hours teaching you lessons about how to do things because in their view, they know best.

The truth is that when someone behaves this way, they actually try to compensate for their shortcomings and prevent you from discovering those.

5. They expect you to please them.

Who doesn’t want to be happy? But toxic people think that other people exist to serve them and make them happy.  They don’t take “no” for an answer and they don’t hesitate to use you to get something done, especially if they notice that you’re kind and helping.

These people don’t mind asking you for favors, and if they see that you’re about to reject them, they’ll be quick to use all the manipulation tactics they know and get under your skin to get what they want from you.

 6. They have zero interest in your worries.

They’ll talk with you about all kinds of things, but they’ll never ask you how you’re feeling or whether you need help if they see you’re struggling with problems.

You can be angry, extremely sad, or even cry, but they won’t give a damn about it. They won’t care if you tell them that you need to take a day off because you or your child is sick, and they certainly won’t lift a finger to help you solve a problem. They’re simply incapable of feeling compassion for anyone. All they care about is themselves.

7. They make you feel bad.

Not only will they drain all your energy, but they’ll make you feel bad about yourself. They’ll make some cynical comments about your physical appearance or clothes and then they’ll tell you they were just joking. They’ll undermine the importance of your successes and make you feel like everything you have achieved in life is only a matter of pure luck and nothing else.

So, if you find yourself in the company of someone who is trying to put you down, either stand up for yourself and let them know that you’re not going to put up with their bullsh*t or walk away.

8 Bitter Realities Of Life That Will Help You Get Your Sh*t Together

By
Riley Cooper

Are you the best version of yourself? Have you achieved all your goals, whether personal or professional? Have all your dreams come true?

Well, if you answered all the questions with a yes, then this article is not for you. But if you answered at least one question with a no, then know you’re in the right place.

So, let’s get one thing straight: Life is not a bed of roses and for sure it’s not rainbows and butterflies. Life sometimes knocks you down and forces you to figure out how to pick yourself up.

It forces you to find ways to overcome all the challenges, problems, and pains it throws your way. It forces you to look around and see what’s truly important to you in life and decide who you want to be.

If you want to succeed in all of these, and I’m sure you do, and get your sh*t together, you need to accept a few bitter realities of life.

Here they are:

1. There may not be tomorrow.

No one lives forever. People have car accidents, get sick, have heart attacks – we face things we can’t control.

This sounds brutal, but it’s the truth. You, including everyone around you, will eventually die. So, don’t postpone until tomorrow what you can do today. Spend more quality time with the people you love and do the things that fill you with happiness.

2. Money doesn’t bring happiness.

You could have an expensive car, plenty of designer clothes and pieces of gold jewelry, but all this is worthless. Things like these don’t add value to your life. They don’t bring you happiness and they don’t give you a sense of fulfillment.

You can’t find happiness in your possessions, but in the people who genuinely love you and want the best for you. You can find it in the things you enjoy doing. You can find it within yourself.

3. You’ll make mistakes and fail.

You’ll make bad decisions. You’ll embarrass yourself many times. You’ll choose the wrong career. You’ll lose many amazing opportunities. You’ll trust manipulative, jealous, lying people. You’ll date wrong guys/girls. You’ll make a lot of mistakes and fail when you expect it the least.

But that’s normal – you can’t escape failure. Just remember that every new day gives you the opportunity to correct your mistakes and try harder to achieve what you want in life.

4. If you don’t fix yourself, no one else will.

Feeling lonely? Sad? Or miserable maybe? Well, if yes, why don’t you do something about it? Stop waiting for some miracle to happen that will make all your worries and problems disappear or get you the things you want to achieve in your life.

Find out what you’re missing and what you want in life, and then go out in the world and get it.

5. Perfection does not exist.

“It’s not the right time to change my job.” “It’s not the right time to have kids.” “I won’t go to the beach until I lose a couple of more pounds.”

If now is not the right time, what makes you think tomorrow or some other day will be? You’ll always find reasons not to do something now, whether out of insecurity or fear.

But know that if you continue waiting for the perfect moment, the only thing you’re going to find is yourself on your deathbed with a long list of regrets.

6. No matter how much you don’t like your past, you’ll never be able to change it.

What’s done is done. So, stop crying over your past mistakes, lost opportunities, heartbreaks, and losses. Crying and obsessing about what you could have, should have, or shouldn’t have done is no use.

Learn to let go of your unpleasant and painful past experiences and move on with your life. Focus on what you have in the present – the people that truly love and care about you, your job, the things that provide you with happiness and give you a sense of fulfillment. Let go of your past and live in the present.

7. Being busy isn’t the same as being productive.

Don’t fool yourself. Bragging about your hectic schedule and how busy you are and complaining that you don’t have time for anything has nothing to do with being productive. That’s called being busy.

If you stop stressing over how much work you have to do, you’ll see that you’ll finish your tasks much faster. So, if you really want to be productive, make a list of all the tasks you have to do, then decide which of them are the most essential, and do those first.

Do the less important later, when you have more time. Oh, and yes, make sure you get rid of everything that might distract you, especially your phone.

8. Stop whining, you do have time.

It’s not that you don’t have time – you just can’t figure out what your priorities are. Just ask yourself: How much time you spend a day on Facebook or Instagram? Playing games on your phone? Watching TV?

Unfortunately, distractions are everywhere around us and they prevent us from being productive. Therefore, you need to identify all the things that distract you and limit the time you spend on them. Do this and you’ll see that you have plenty of time to fulfill all your daily tasks and responsibilities.

Now that you’ve read the harsh life truths, what are you going to do to finally get your sh*t together?

Stop Trying To Fix Or Change The People In Your Life And Listen Instead

By
Stephanie Reeds

We’ve all had a loved one who had a harmful behavior and constantly frustrated everyone around them.  Chances are, every one of us has experienced and faced the consequences of dealing with that kind of a person.

At first, you think, “That’s not who they are. They probably had a bad day.” But then it turns into a habit and it becomes too insufferable to pretend that nothing is happening. So, you decide to reach out to them and help them.

But, after some time you realize that no matter what you do, you cannot seem to change their behavior. You hope that your solutions might work, and they might actually accept your advice, but the more time passes, the worse their condition gets. You try hard, but you end up frustrated and exhausted.

Their rejection hurts you and drives you mad at the same time.

Well, here’s the thing.

I know that you care about them, but you have to understand one thing. You cannot change or fix people. Whether it’s your parents, your friends, your partner or a sibling, you have to put it in your head – they are not machines, they are human beings.

They don’t have a restart button. Sometimes it takes much more than just an advice or a nudge to push them forward. The best thing you can do for these people is to show them your love by giving them space to evolve on their own and eventually change.

But, let me warn you, that requires a great deal of patience and tolerance.

I remember how much I’ve struggled with my father.

His whole life he struggled with many unresolved issues from his childhood. To make everything even worse, our whole family went through a hard time. My parents split many times and we changed houses a lot. In a nutshell, I believe that some of the issues that I’m working on are direct consequences of that painful part of my life.

I really tried with him, I did. But after many unpleasant confrontations and unsuccessful interactions, I decided that it was enough. I stopped analyzing, searching for possible solutions, giving advice and swimming in the opposite direction. Because every attempt to help him was always met with a big resistance.  It was pointless.

As time passed, I realized that out of all the things that I did for him, I never really sat and listened to what he had to say. I always blamed him for the things he did to us, but never really asked him how he feels. I forgot that my ability to just be there for him regardless of what happened can truly change everything.

And, so it did. And I was right. I had failed terribly. He had so much pain accumulated in his heart. He never needed the advice. He never asked for that. All he wanted was a person who would listen to his side of the story. He just wanted his voice to be heard.

I can honestly say that this experience opened my eyes and helped me learn some of the most valuable lessons in life. I always blamed him for everything without thinking that this person has his own story that he eventually wants to share. But I guess I needed some time to reflect on myself and analyze the effect my actions had on him.

Fortunately, I got the message on time. Loud and clear.

So, this goes to all of you out there who are struggling with the same issue.

Regardless of your sincere desire to help the ones you love, sometimes it is just better to say less, do less and listen more. In many cases, these people just want to be heard. They just want you to be present and pay attention to what they have to say. Nothing else.

So, please whatever you do, try to acknowledge their situation and realize that a simple nod of the head, an honest “Mm-hmm” or a warm, comforting hug can sometimes do much more than your advice. I know that your intentions are good and sincere, but sometimes you have to prioritize their emotions over yours.

However, doing this doesn’t mean that you approve of their harmful behavior, but rather that you understand how they feel.

An Open, Heartfelt To The Broken Girl Who Hasn’t Been Feeling Like Herself Lately

By
Stephanie Reeds

Dear human who has just clicked on this article,

Dear woman who has had her heart broken many times,

Dear person who has lost their soul and hasn’t been feeling like herself in a while,

I can sense your pain.

I can see it in your eyes. You are suffering. You are trying hard, but you are not living. You are surviving.

There’s not much will left inside your heart. There’s not much strength left in your body.

Life has challenged you many times. But most of those challenges were too difficult for you to handle them. They were too much for you. The burden was too heavy for you to bear. It was heavier than your shoulders could carry. And so, it broke you.

 It crushed your fragile soul. It completely drained you and left you begging for mercy.

But, despite all of the pain that you’re carrying inside your fragile little heart,

I need you to stay hopeful.

Look, I’ve been exactly where you are now. And I know, it is not nice. It’s dark, it is scary, and it is a terrifying place to be stuck in. But you have to hold on to your hopes. You cannot allow yourself to give up. You have a whole life ahead of you full of ups and downs.

You cannot stay down after only one missed step along the way. You cannot let your failures discourage you. Do you know why? Because I am certain that you are stronger than you actually think. I know that you have a spark inside your beautiful soul that is waiting to be reignited any moment now.

It is up to you to light up a fire or smother that final spark inside of you.

The thing is, my dear, life is pretty hard and sometimes it makes us feel hopeless. It forces us to blame ourselves for everything. It drains our last bit of energy and leave us with nothing but our own biggest insecurities.

But it always happens for a reason. It always faces you with experiences that will help you learn and become an even stronger person.  

Always, remember. Every single thing that we experience in life has an expiration date. People say, “The bad news is nothing lasts forever, the good news is nothing lasts forever.” And they are right.

So, try to remind yourself that no matter how dark and scary it is now, there’s always a speck of light at the end of the tunnel. You choose whether you’ll do your best to notice it or you’ll give up and descend into the darkness.

Here’s to you, my dear!

Stay strong. Hold on.

Time will pass. Your wounds will heal. And you will be yourself again.

Don’t fall into despair. Don’t let this destroy you.

This, not your whole life. This is not who you are. It’s just a part of your story.

4 Reasons Why You Should Never Settle In A Relationship

By
Stephanie Reeds

People think that never finding a soulmate is the greatest tragedy a person can experience in their life. They believe that their purpose on earth is finding someone who would validate their existence and make them happy.

Just think about it. The pressure society has put on us since the beginning of time always revolves around finding our perfect soul mate and searching for our happiness in other people.

Naturally, for some people, finding a soulmate is the ideal life scenario. But the truth is, not everyone gets exactly what they dreamed of…

And so, most people settle down. They are told that their pickiness is keeping them from finding a good partner. They are pressured to get married because their biological clock is ticking. And as a result, they meet someone who is ‘good enough’, they engage in a relationship that is ‘okay’ and end up living a life that they eventually hate.

If you’ve been broken too many times and you feel like you’re on the verge of a breakdown, these are 4 reasons why you should never give up and settle for something average.

Remember, true love exists, and it is worth the struggle.

1. THE FEAR OF BEING ALONE CAN MESS UP YOUR PRIORITIES

A recent study found out that people who were terrified of being alone and the ones who stated that the older they get, the harder it is for them to find someone – would rather settle for any kind of relationship than wait until they actually find true love.

The longitudinal study showed that these people preferred having a partner over the quality of their potential partner. These individuals were less likely to get out of a bad relationship because the fear of never finding a partner was too much for them.

Social connection is truly important for our overall wellbeing, but making decisions based on your fear and insecurity, can lead you to a lot of bad choices.

2. BEING SINGLE HAS ITS OWN BRIGHT SIDE

It is truly sad how most people consider singlehood a condition that we should all be afraid of. The reality is too sad. Single people are often labeled as immature people who don’t know what they want, are selfish and probably low key desperate.

The truth is, being single has many benefits. It is an opportunity to finally meet the real you and find yourself in this world. It is a chance to explore this universe, meet new people, learn new things, devote yourself to your passions, and gain a sense of self-worth without waiting for someone else to validate your existence.

3. FINDING TRUE LOVE MIGHT BE A RISKY BET, BUT THE PAY OFF IS MUCH BETTER

I’ll be honest. Settling in is always a safe bet. You have nothing to lose. Well, except for your freedom and your life.

Holing out, on the other hand, is quite the gamble. No one can know for sure whether you’ll ever find your perfect soulmate.

I mean, let’s be real. We’ve all heard the story about the cousin who was too picky and ended up all alone. But, for every disappointing, sad story, there is another one about someone who was brave enough, stuck to their own rules and found the perfect person along their way.

Finding your other half might be a risky bet, but the pay off is much bigger and sweeter.

4.EMBRACING SOMEONE’S FLAWS DOESN’T MEAN SETTLING FOR THEM

Oftentimes, people are too perfectionistic about what they look for in a partner, so as a result, they tend to avoid and reject people because of certain foolish reasons (like not having a small nose).

 But, when you think about it, the reality is much more different.

When you fall in love with another human being, you love them for who they truly are. It doesn’t feel like you’re settling. You accept their flaws and you see their imperfections as their strengths. Traits that make them different.

So, when everything feels right and your relationship is based on the most important values in life, you don’t have to settle for anything.

Rather than despising our partner’s negative sides and praising their positive sides, we should try to look at the bigger picture of who they are as a person and how they make us feel when we’re around them.

Fathers Have A Much Greater Role In A Daughter’s Life Than You Think, Studies Show

By
Riley Cooper

When it comes to daughters and their relationship with their parents, there’s a general belief that the bond that exists between mothers and daughters  is much stronger and deeper than the one between fathers and daughters.  People kind of think that fathers have much less influence on their daughters’ lives than mothers or even no influence at all.

However, studies show that this couldn’t be further from the truth. Fathers have a much greater role in their daughters’ lives because they’re essential for their proper mental, emotional, and physical development.

According to a study published in the Journal of Family Psychology, daughters who have good, healthy relationships with their fathers have a reduced risk of developing anxiety and depression, and they’re also better at managing stress. They also have lower cortisol levels and are less sensitive to emotional changes in times of crisis.

When fathers are present and involved in their daughters’ lives, the latter are better at regulating their emotions and managing their reactions in risky situations. Additionally, they’re more open about their feelings and this helps prepare them to form healthy, meaningful, and fulfilling relationships with other people later in life.

Furthermore, fathers who have a close, emotional bond with their daughters can help them have better control over their lives, be more responsible, develop a positive self-image, and increase their confidence.

In addition to having a big influence on their daughters’ emotional development, fathers also meet their financial needs and even contribute to their physical health.

Research published by Lenna Nepomnyaschy, an associate professor at the Rutgers School of Social Work, has shown that:

“Nonresident father involvement in a child’s life is positively associated with lower food insecurity in both early and middle childhood. Involvement could include time spent with the child, monetary contributions and “in kind” support, such as treats, gifts, and payment of medical or childcare expenses.”

Unlike a couple of decades ago, today there are more opportunities for fathers to be involved in their daughters’ lives right from the beginning. And this is important because the earlier fathers participate in meeting their daughters’ needs, the closer and stronger the bond between them is.

Whether it’s changing diapers, feeding them, rocking them to sleep, taking them out for a walk, or playing with them when they’re little, fathers can be involved in their daughters’ lives from the beginning and they can be great companions for them.

This Is How You Let Go Of Someone You Never Thought You’d Part Ways With

By
Riley Cooper

Letting go of someone you thought you were going to be with forever is undoubtedly hard and painful. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s necessary.

Sometimes it’s the best thing you can do for yourself.

Because what’s the point in being with someone if instead of making you happy and fulfilled, they make you suffer?

What’s the point in staying in a relationship that instead of providing you with happiness, joy, fulfillment, and tranquility, it makes you feel frustrated and lonely?

What’s the point in choosing someone who’s stopped choosing you a long time ago?

It hurts to admit this to yourself, but sometimes, the only person you need to choose is yourself.

You fought with every fiber of your being for your relationship. You searched through every memory you have with them looking for reasons why you should still stay. But you couldn’t find any reason.

But this is what happens when the person you thought you’d never part ways with has stopped choosing you a long time ago.

This is what happens when the person you gave your all doesn’t want to fight for you.

So, maybe it’s time for you to raise your white flag, gather some strength, and bid them farewell.

Because the ugly truth is that they were waiting for you to do that anyway.

And, please, don’t blame yourself for letting go of them. Because it’s okay to walk away when there’s nothing left to hold on to.

It’s okay to stop fighting for someone when you know you have exhausted all ways of saving your relationship.

It’s okay to look for your happiness in another place and walk away from one that kills your happiness, causes you pain, and keeps you in darkness.

It’s okay to collect the pieces of your broken heart, put them back together, and move forward.

It’s okay to let go of them and move on.

It’s okay to do all this, even though it’s painful and your heart will ache and your soul will weep long after you’ve let go of them.

I know, your wounds are still fresh and this is too much for you to take. Sadness, frustration, and anger are all that you can feel right now.

But grieve and be angry as you need. Cry and shout as much as you want. Feel the taste of pain. Let your wounds bleed. You don’t need to explain why you’re feeling or acting this way to anyone.

You don’t need anyone to tell you some “words of wisdom” or sugar coat the ugly truth for you. You don’t need anyone to give you false hopes.

All you need is yourself.

So, look deep down into your soul. There, you’ll find your strength.  Your hope.

Give yourself time to heal and do everything in your power to accept what life has thrown your way.

Remember that what you’re going through is just a phase and it’ll be all over soon.

You’ll get through it.

Remember that what you’re going through is just a chapter of the story you’re writing. It’s just one more bump on the journey called life.

And as you move along this journey, embrace the lessons and the good experiences and leave the bad ones behind.

Fight to survive.

Survive for the great stories you still have to write. The stories you’ll write with those who truly care about you and deserve your love.

Don’t hold grudges against the person who broke your heart and shattered your hopes. Don’t carry resentment or hate within yourself.

Let it all go.

Let them go.

20 things first-time moms should never do

By
Elizabeth Williams

Smoking

Being a mother starts even before becoming pregnant and therefore some of the activities you indulge in may end up affecting you or the baby. Smoking affects fertility in both men and women and women and therefore it is advisable for the first time mothers to avoid smoking during or even when they are pregnant. Research shows that women who smoke during pregnancies may conceive children’s with disabilities

Reduce caffeine intake.

Consuming a lot of caffeine when you are pregnant may lead to miscarriage this is according to research conducted. It is believed too much caffeine consumption by a pregnant lady may really affect the development of the baby. If you have to consume caffeine when you are pregnant you should limit yourself to the only 200ml per day.

Drink alcohol

Alcohol consumption has effects on both men and women before getting pregnant and for the mother during the pregnancy period. It is advisable for the pregnant mother to avoid consumption of alcohol as it may lead to complications during giving birth. Even after conceiving the baby it is not okay to drink alcohol as it may get to the baby during breastfeeding.

Taking non-prescription drugs

Upcoming mothers should be really careful on the type of drugs they consume either from the chemist or from your local dealers. Some of the drugs may affect the body of the mother to a point they may even make the young lady infertile. Also when a mother is pregnant taking drugs which she has little information on may lead to miscarriage or giving birth to a baby with deformities.

Avoid multiple sexual partners

During pregnancy, it is advisable to stick to one sexual partner and if you have no knowledge of his medical conditions you should prefer the use of condoms or abstain from sex. Some of the sexually transmitted diseases may affect the newborn baby. Your spouse should also avoid multiple sexual partners to avoid transmitting diseases to the pregnant wife.

Stop being inactive

Exercise before and during pregnancy is really a good thing. It is believed the more active people are more fertile as compared to the fewer actives. Continuous exercise may help the mother during pregnancy and giving birth as the muscles are already strong enough to handle the contraction.

Do not hang out on a sauna or hot tub.

Pregnancy comes with a lot of aches and pains and one may think to relax in a hot tub or a sauna may help in reducing the pains. It may help but the effects that may come alongside it are worse as the body temperatures are elevated leading to birth defects.

Do not sit and stand for too long

It is advisable to be an active person, but also you should know to what point does active become tiring and what line divide being active and lazy. Therefore you should be just active enough.

Do not believe everything you read

First-time mothers are faced with the challenge of knowing what is true and what is wrong and therefore they depend on the internet and books for their solutions. Some believe each and everything they read but for sure you should not believe everything you read.

Here are things you should never do after the first 15 days after labor

Avoid intense workouts

Exercise after giving birth is a great thing as it may help the mother in losing weight but intense workouts are not great for your body. After pregnancy women experienced heavy breeding and soreness all over the body and intense work out makes it hard.

Avoid swimming

After birth, the body needs time to cleanse itself and involving yourself in swimming may lead to the introduction of bacteria in the body and thus causing infections.

Avoid tight clothes

After giving birth all the mothers are excited to finally get rid of their loose-fitting clothes and go back to their usual fitting clothes but wearing the tight clothes few days after giving birth may lead to infections and make the first mothers comfortable. However, you can start wearing your abdominal binder almost immediately without any risks. 

Avoid sexual intercourse

A woman needs to give her body time to heal after giving birth; therefore engaging in sexual activity may increase the soreness in her body and also lead to infectious diseases.

Avoid skipping meals

Every woman aims at regaining their body after giving birth and women look for all the possible ways that can reduce their body weight. Some skip meals with the aim of losing weight which is not advisable since the production of lactating milk will decrease.

Do not entertain too many guests after birth.

After giving birth, everybody wants to come to see the baby both your friends and the family and this is not advisable. At this period of time, you and the child are both healing and you may be prone to infections.

Never to give up on breastfeeding.

As a first time mother, you may be faced with a lot of challenges while breastfeeding as sometimes the production of lactating milk may be low and finally decide to use other methods of breastfeeding. The bond created through breastfeeding is inseparable and therefore you should never give up. Don’t forget to check online parenting resources to make both you and your baby healthy and safe.

Never allow visitors to kiss the newborn

When anybody sees a newborn, they want to hold and candle with the newborn but this may have serious impacts. There is one case where a mother lost her infant baby because of the kiss given by a friend. The friend had herpes and the disease affected the baby.

Never forget to change diapers

Being a new mother is a challenge especially first-time mothers as you do not know the does and they don’t and sometimes you may forget to change the diapers. Always keep a reminder to always change the dippers

Too many baths

Too many births for a young baby may lead to cold and other diseases such as pneumonia; therefore, it is advisable to bathe the kid when necessary.

Avoid your baby from crying out

In the past, first-time mothers were advised to allow their kids to cry out but it not good advice. The only way that a child can communicate is through crying and therefore if you interfere with that you make it hard for you to understand each other.

She’s Strong Because Every Time Life Knocks Her Down, She Comes Out As A Winner

By
Riley Cooper

She’s strong because she’s been through hell and back. Because she’s been hurt time and time again.

She’s strong because every time life knocks her down, she comes out as a winner.

She’s strong because every single day she silences that little voice in her head that tells her she’s weak and unimportant.

She’s strong because she struggles with her anxious thoughts every single day, and, yet, she doesn’t let them get the best of her.

She’s strong because life often throws her way difficult challenges and unpleasant surprises and she always finds a way to deal with them.

She feels uncomfortable being surrounded by many people. She often worries what others might think or say about her. She’s afraid others might not accept her.

But still, she finds the strength within herself to make new friendships and socialize with others. She finds the strength to hide all her insecurities and fears behind her smile.

She’s strong because she doesn’t let others define her worth. She doesn’t let others tell her what to think or say or how to behave.

She’s strong because she speaks her mind and stands up for herself when others criticize her and try to put her down. She defends herself even when she feels insecure and vulnerable.

She’s the type of girl that can easily lose her focus and get distracted by the people surrounding her. And still, she does her best to direct her whole attention to the task at hand and to what’s important to her.

She tries the hardest she can to be the best at everything she does.

She’s strong because she’s aware of all her weaknesses, insecurities, and fears and she doesn’t let them define her. She doesn’t let them stand in the way to her happiness and success. She tries hard to overcome them.

She works on herself. She works hard to improve herself in every aspect of life.

She’s strong because she hasn’t stopped pursuing her goals and dreams although she’s been told countless times that she’ll fail. That her goals are too high and her dreams unrealistic.

She’s been told that she’s weak and that she doesn’t have what it takes to succeed.

She’s strong because she finds the strength to laugh even when her heart aches and her soul weeps. Because her face is bright even when her world is wrapped in darkness. Because she manages to be cheerful and funny and act carelessly even when her life is falling apart.

She’s strong and exhausted.

She’s tired of putting too much time and effort into everything, especially in people who don’t deserve her trust and love. People who don’t even deserve a tiny bit of her attention.

She’s tired of giving all of her to men who take her for granted and break her heart. Men who can’t see her worth and the purity of her soul.

She’s tired of lifting herself up every time life knocks her down. She’s tired of always being under pressure.

She’s tired of seeing her heart broken and her hopes shattered time and time again.

Yes, she’s tired of a lot of things, but she doesn’t let that kill her spirit. Her courage. Her strength. Her resilience. Her hopes.

She’s strong because she suffers in silence and no one knows that.

The People Who Enjoy Traveling Alone Share These Key Characteristics

By
Stephanie Reeds

Travelling is one of the most eye-opening, incredible and challenging experiences you’ll never forget. It is not only about changing locations and visiting cultural sights. There’s much more to it than just booking an Airbnb, trust me.

Because traveling helps you grow psychologically. It broadens your horizons and introduces you to the unknown. It faces you with the unpredictability of the world and welcomes you to a new dimension. Ultimately it transforms you into a citizen of the world.

However, if there’s something even more exciting than just traveling, that is solo traveling. Why? If you’ve roamed this world and traveled on your own, you probably know what I am talking about.

But, to those of you who haven’t, here are the key characteristics of the people who love to travel on their own:

1. TRAVELING SOLO PROVES THAT YOU CAN STILL HAVE FUN EVEN WHEN NO ONE ELSE IS AROUND

Believe me, this comes from my own personal experience. Once you realize that you can have twice as much fun on your own without having to rely on someone, you will be thrilled to continue your solo journey. You will have an unlimited amount of opportunities.

2. BOOKING  SOLO TRIPS MEANS THAT YOU TRUST YOURSELF

It is kind of terrifying at first, I’ll give you that. And it will take some time until you find the courage within you and make the decision of traveling on your own. But, once you do it, you will feel relieved and free.

Free from your insecurities. Free from your fears. Free from the chains of society. Free from everything that was holding you back. You will finally feel that you can rely on yourself.  

3.TRAVELING ON YOUR OWN MAKES YOU MORE ADAPTABLE TO NEW ENVIRONMENTS

If you have explored many new countries and cultures by now, it means that you are a flexible, open-minded and an easily adaptable person. That is a sign that you are not afraid to step out of your comfort zone and face the unpredictability of the unknown ahead of you.

These kinds of experiences have the power to change a person’s perspective and broaden their horizons.

4. PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL SOLO IMPROVE THEIR COMMUNICATION SKILLS  

Exploring new countries and meeting new cultures always include certain language and cultural barriers that require great communication skills and patience.

But even though some might find this difficult to overcome, it is important to understand that, in the long run, these obstacles have a very positive effect on us. They allow us to meet other people, experience things we’ve never experienced and develop new, lasting friendships in the process.

5. TRAVELING SOLO MAKES YOU MORE RESPONSIBLE AND MORE SELF-RELIANT

Traveling solo will make you face all kinds of challenges and obstacles along your way. It is inevitable. You cannot skip that part of the process.

But what matters the most is how you react to these challenges. Because by learning from those experiences, rather than avoiding them, you’ll evolve and become an even more responsible, self-reliant and mentally strong person.  

6. TAKING TRIPS ALONE GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON YOURSELF

Last but not least, solo traveling will provide you with the valuable opportunity of soul-searching. Wandering this earth without a travel buddy by your side will give you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reflect on yourself and think about the reason for your existence.  

You will have the chance to meet the person you truly are and ask them everything that you’ve been afraid to ask them in a very long time. Solo traveling will give you the freedom you desperately need but feel too afraid to search for.

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