“Sometimes in life, you can fall down holes you can’t climb out of by yourself. That’s what friends and family are for, to help. They can’t help, however, unless you let them know you’re down there.” – Meg Cabot
Today I’d like to discuss how important asking for help is for your self care.
Yes we all want to be seen as strong, independent, that we have our lives together and we can conquer the world in a day. The truth is that even if we DO generally have it all together, there are times that we struggle with something. Whether it’s feelings of inadequacy, difficulty with a colleague, financial hardship, addiction in any form or we are just plain exhausted!
It’s ok not to be ok. It’s ok to ask for help.
There was a time in my life that I needed comfort and I leaned hard on a friend. This did not go well. In hindsight, I realize that she also needed my help, but neither of us were in a fit state to assist the other. It did negatively affect our relationship for some years but now we are closer than ever. It’s important to seek guidance in the right places, just as much as it’s important to ask for assistance in the first place!
This did not stop me seeking professional help though and although I probably should’ve had a few more sessions, just the couple I did attend, really helped me. Almost 10 years on, I am lucky enough to have a strong network around me that I can lean on when I need to.
We all need help at some point, we forget others are just like us and need support too. Just ask. We are all in this life together!
The Challenge
Today, I challenge you to ask for assistance. It could be something as small as asking a colleague to help on a project. Maybe you are struggling financially and make an appointment with a financial adviser to ease and understand your situation. Possibly it’s a mental health issue you need help with, as with my story above, choose the right person. Maybe your friends and family are struggling right now too and a professional counselor is the best answer. I strongly encourage you to do this, whether your situation is mild or serious, counselors can provide you with a toolkit to help you cope.
The most likely scenario that we all need help with, is just that we need to vent about our lives. Call your best friend, or your mom, whomever you can talk to, explain you need guidance and ask, can they listen? Then vent. Afterwards, give them the opportunity to vent. Help them too, they’ll thank you for it and you will usually feel significantly better for helping a friend out.
Be sure to tag us on Instagram _mindbodylife and use the hashtag #healthymindpowerweek so we can see how you’ve given yourself permission to ask for help today!
See you back here tomorrow for Day 7 of our Self Care focused Healthy Mind Power Week.
Love and Light
Lauren x
