Do you feel like you are drowning daily? Think you’re meant to keep on struggling without help? Think again. In this episode, Jen talks about the importance of asking for help and tells it straight – asking for help isn’t a sign that you are giving up; it’s a sign you are downright refusing to.
Did you enjoy the podcast today? Please let me know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Every month I draw one lucky reviewer to have a free one-hour consultation with me. Also, remember to subscribe wherever you’re tuning in from so that you always catch the next episode.
SHOWNOTES
Have you ever had a day where you arrive at work, and the phone is ringing, your pager is going off, your mobile starts, there are 200 emails in your inbox, you have twenty projects to finish that day, and you feel like you’re drowning? I’m guessing the answer is yes.
Now I’m guessing if you were out in the middle of the ocean and you were drowning, you wouldn’t just hang out there hoping that someone might happen to come past and offer to help you – you would stick your hand up and wave madly for help. What would you do? Think about it for a sec. Why, then, do we struggle to ask for help when we’re drowning in other ways?
My natural default is still to get stuck in my ego and struggle instead of screaming help. If you’re like me, how is that working out for you? If you feel like you’re drowning, don’t just sit there and hope that someone will walk by and offer to help you; put your hand up and ask for help.
I was raised to be a very independent woman, and I am very capable of looking after myself, which has worked fabulously for me, but at the same time, it has also been my major weakness.
Not long ago, I realised that delegating and asking for help were two very different actions. In the past, if I was in overwhelm mode, I would have delegated or outsourced some tasks to lighten the load. I rarely allowed myself to be straight with anyone and let them know that I needed help.
You know the classic line when someone asks how you are, and the automatic response is ‘I’m fine’ (listen to Episode 57 for more on this). People rarely say how they are REALLY feeling, let alone admitting that they might be doing it a bit tough and need some help to get through.
For me, it was about not wanting to appear incapable or inefficient. But learning to surf has smashed my ego out of the park.
Over the years, I’ve put myself through some very difficult times, pretending to the world that I was perfectly fine when I was not. Finally, I started to put up my hand and ask for help, which was incredibly difficult. But I was blown away by the reception I received.
I booked some extra surf lessons to learn where to sit on the wave, so I don’t have to struggle. Now I let the wave do the work.
Just like you, everyone is waiting to be of service (even the waves are). It’s human nature to help. I realised that asking for help is not just a one-way street, you get the assistance you need, and you give the other person the opportunity to be of service, which makes them feel good.
The other major discovery that I made about asking for help is that you can achieve more than you ever thought possible, and in a much easier way, by using the skills and abilities of others and your own.
What’s the solution?
I recommend putting your hand up and being straight with people. Let them know that you could use some help. Speak from your heart and speak your truth. I guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Healthy Life Hacks
So, the healthy life hacks I want to leave you with today are:
- Identify whether you need to ask for help or delegate
- Stop breathe and ask for help – what can make your life easier?
Did you enjoy the podcast today? Please let me know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Every month I draw one lucky reviewer to have a free one-hour consultation with me. Also, remember to subscribe wherever you’re tuning in from so that you always catch the next episode.
Are you looking for more great resources? Get a free copy of my Feed Your Body ebook here and be sure to explore my blog while you are there.
