---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just when you think you've hit rock…"
description: "\"“Just when you think you've hit rock bottom. someone will hand you a shovel.--- Phoebe Traeger”\" — Jill Shalvis"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/jill-shalvis-838_fall_just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bott_848856.png"
---

#  Just when you think you've hit rock bottom. someone will…

![“Just when you think you've hit rock bottom. someone will hand you a shovel.--- Phoebe Traeger” quote by Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/jill-shalvis-838_fall_just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bott_848856.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/jill-shalvis-838_fall_just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bott_848856.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/jill-shalvis-838_fall_just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bott_848856.png)

> ““Just when you think you've hit rock bottom. someone will hand you a shovel.--- Phoebe Traeger””

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Metaphorically suggests that after hitting rock bottom, help arrives in the form of a shovel to dig out.

**In simple terms:** Help appears after reaching lowest point.

Key Takeaway

Seek assistance when feeling stuck.

Themes

adversity hope support

Mood

encouraging optimistic

Type

motivational

When to use this quote

- career setbacks
- mental health crises
- financial trouble

Key Concepts

resilience metaphor

Questions to Reflect On

- Who can offer you a “shovel”?
- What steps will you take to climb out?

A Different Perspective

Support may not be immediate or obvious.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Hand Shovel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hand-shovel-726194/) [Phoebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phoebe/) [Phoebe Traeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phoebe-traeger-726193/) [Rock Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-bottom/) [Shovel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shovel/) [Shovel Phoebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shovel-phoebe-726192/)

## Related quotes

> [Just when you think you’ve hit rock bottom, someone will hand you a shovel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bottom-someone-will-hand-you-a-2/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [If someone says "You're not doing that right," hand him the shovel, sit and watch. That's the right way to garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-right-hand-him-the-shovel-sit/)

[Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/)

> [“Men are like parking spots. All the good ones are taken, and those that aren’t are inaccessible.” PHOEBE TRAEGER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/men-are-like-parking-spots-all-the-good-ones-are-taken-and-those-that/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“Just when you think you’ve hit rock bottom, someone’ll throw you a shovel.” – Chloe Traeger”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bottom-someone-ll-throw-you-a/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“Phoebe makes her way and leaves. Grant is frozen. A whole minute goes by. Then, he reaches forward, clutching the air that used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/phoebe-makes-her-way-and-leaves-grant-is-frozen-a-whole-minute-goes/)

[Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/)

> [“We believe in you, Phoebe," Stella says. "You just have to believe in yourself." I roll my eyes behind the blindfold. As if that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tera-lynn-childs/we-believe-in-you-phoebe-stella-says-you-just-have-to-believe-in/)

[Tera Lynn Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tera-lynn-childs/)

> [“Little Phoebe was one of those persons who possess, as their exclusive patrimony, the gift of practical arrangement. It is a kind of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/little-phoebe-was-one-of-those-persons-who-possess-as-their-exclusive/)

[Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/)

> [Phoebe Waller-Bridge has an insane grasp of the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-demetriou/phoebe-waller-bridge-has-an-insane-grasp-of-the-human-condition/)

[Jamie Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-demetriou/)

> [“But sometimes I look at Phoebe and I think about how she had a bird inside her heart. On the outside, she’s just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/but-sometimes-i-look-at-phoebe-and-i-think-about-how-she-had-a-bird/)

[Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/)

> [I'll accept being Phoebe to people for a while longer, given how much fun it was. That's totally fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kudrow/i-ll-accept-being-phoebe-to-people-for-a-while-longer-given-how-much/)

[Lisa Kudrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kudrow/)

> [“And Phoebe and Sebastian went their separate ways, to the blacksmith shop and the library, after several backward glances that weren't coordinated enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ferris/and-phoebe-and-sebastian-went-their-separate-ways-to-the-blacksmith/)

[Jean Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ferris/)

> [“The Library of Alexandria?" I ask. "Didn't that burn down?" Mrs Philipoulus scoffs. "Damn fool Hypatia. Athena tried to convince her to install a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tera-lynn-childs/the-library-of-alexandria-i-ask-didn-t-that-burn-down-mrs-philipoulus/)

[Tera Lynn Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tera-lynn-childs/)

> [“Piper wasn’t used to anyone intimidating her, but being in the presence of Phoebe Calebow was being in the presence of greatness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/piper-wasn-t-used-to-anyone-intimidating-her-but-being-in-the/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [“Something was wrong. She'd failed, Phoebe thought, but at what? Imagining herself in Europe, she'd always pictured someone else, physically even, a tall blonde…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/something-was-wrong-she-d-failed-phoebe-thought-but-at-what-imagining/)

[Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/)

> [“You're not seriously going?" Troy asks. "Of course I'm going," I say. "What other choice do I have?" "Um...not going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tera-lynn-childs/you-re-not-seriously-going-troy-asks-of-course-i-m-going-i-say-what/)

[Tera Lynn Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tera-lynn-childs/)

## More by Jill Shalvis

> [“But dammit, she was tired. Tired of doing what was expected, tired of feeling like she was missing something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/but-dammit-she-was-tired-tired-of-doing-what-was-expected-tired-of/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“And not that I don't love those words, but what were you wrong about?" "Walking away from you." She stepped into him. "I'm done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/and-not-that-i-don-t-love-those-words-but-what-were-you-wrong-about/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“This put her in the possession of two guns. I Love Lucy does Criminal Minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/this-put-her-in-the-possession-of-two-guns-i-love-lucy-does-criminal/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“What is it with us?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/what-is-it-with-us/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“The kiss had been shockingly... wow. Which had led to one thing or another, and some more wow, along with a good dash of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/the-kiss-had-been-shockingly-wow-which-had-led-to-one-thing-or/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“I've given up men. It's true. At first, I was just going to give up attorneys, but that seemed immature - and far too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/i-ve-given-up-men-it-s-true-at-first-i-was-just-going-to-give-up/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [Where did that flashlight come from?" Chloe asked. "My purse." Chloe looked at Tara. "She carries a flashlight in her purse." "For emergencies," Maddie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/where-did-that-flashlight-come-from-chloe-asked-my-purse-chloe-looked/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [Logan, why aren't you wearing protection?" The radio crackled, and then came Logan's voice. "I have 'protection' in my bag," he said. "But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/logan-why-aren-t-you-wearing-protection-the-radio-crackled-and-then/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“So what do you think I should do for myself then?" "Whatever feels right." She stared at him for the longest beat, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/so-what-do-you-think-i-should-do-for-myself-then-whatever-feels-right/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“With a smug smirk, he kissed her again, then slid into her. Pleasure flooded her, so intense it arched her back and had her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/with-a-smug-smirk-he-kissed-her-again-then-slid-into-her-pleasure/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“I think you have a case of being a little girl. Maybe you should prescribe yourself a heavy dose of man-the-fuck-up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/i-think-you-have-a-case-of-being-a-little-girl-maybe-you-should/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“She was like a drug. The most addicting kind, and he had a problem—he was pretty sure that she was developing feelings for him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/she-was-like-a-drug-the-most-addicting-kind-and-he-had-a-problem-he/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [“Let me in.' 'Come to the door.' You always demanding like that? No wonder she isn't answering. Try asking sometime. Not all women will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/let-me-in-come-to-the-door-you-always-demanding-like-that-no-wonder/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [Forever this time," he said as Sawyer strode toward them. Tara sighed blissfully. "You know what this means, right?" "I'm done guessing," he said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/forever-this-time-he-said-as-sawyer-strode-toward-them-tara-sighed/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [Remember, you’re unique. And so is everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/remember-you-re-unique-and-so-is-everyone-else/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

[Explore all 356 Jill Shalvis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

## More Fall quotes

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/)

[Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/)

> [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [To hurry through the rise and fall of a fine, full sentence is like defying the role of time in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/to-hurry-through-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-fine-full-sentence-is-like/)

[Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/)

> [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/)

[Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/)

> [“We will all, at some point in our lives, fall. Every single one of us. We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/)

[Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/)

> [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/)

[Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/)

> [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/)

[Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/)

> [How wonderful it would be to scatter words as they rise to consciousness, to let them lie where they fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-scott/how-wonderful-it-would-be-to-scatter-words-as-they-rise-to/)

[Joanna Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-scott/)

> [My life is a crystal teardrop. There are snowflakes falling in the teardrop and little figures trudging in slow motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/my-life-is-a-crystal-teardrop-there-are-snowflakes-falling-in-the/)

[Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/)

> [Life will knock you down &amp; it's tough, but you are strong enough. Get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-will-knock-you-down-it-s-tough-but-you-are-strong-enough-get/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/)

[Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/)

> [“If you ever falling but can't see the bottom be glad you can't because at the bottom it's either a soft land or rocks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelseigh-ashton/if-you-ever-falling-but-can-t-see-the-bottom-be-glad-you-can-t/)

[Kelseigh Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelseigh-ashton/)

> [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/)

[Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/)

[Browse all 13,401 Fall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Just when you think you've hit rock bottom. someone will hand you a shovel.--- Phoebe Traeger”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jill Shalvis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bottom-someone-will-hand-you-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fall"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bottom-someone-will-hand-you-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/jill-shalvis-838_fall_just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bott_848856.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/jill-shalvis-838_fall_just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bott_848856.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/jill-shalvis-838_fall_just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bott_848856.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Just when you think you've hit rock bottom. someone will hand you a shovel.--- Phoebe Traeger” — Jill Shalvis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jill Shalvis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Just when you think you've hit...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bottom-someone-will-hand-you-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bottom-someone-will-hand-you-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
