Modern society has somehow made it a ‘crime’ to ask someone for help because it sends out the signal that the person asking is weak. Yet, everyone who has walked on this earth has needed help in one form or another. This is because there is no such thing as a self-sufficient being.
For example, every organism needs oxygen to stay alive, which can be interpreted as organisms needing the ‘help’ of oxygen. Or take your upbringing. Your parents or guardian(s) were the ones offering the ‘help’ even if you didn’t ‘ask’ for it (but you probably did).
This begs the question: why do so many adults feel bad about asking for help despite the fact that problems tend to pile up as one matures? Surely, adults have more experience than children yet it is the latter who seems to be unafraid to ask for help.
As we all go through difficult times in life, we all need help. This help can take any form including financial, emotional, physical, and spiritual. Helping one another is what makes the world a better place rather than being ignorant.
Here are five reasons why asking for help is a sign of strength and not weakness.
1. You Are Actually Facing Your Fears
You know what? Fear will never fully disappear as long as you are alive. This is because fear is an inborn mechanism in humans that has kept our species alive and thriving till this day. All the self-help resources that say you can get rid of your fears are thus simply unrealistic.
Being in a constant state of fear can be extremely debilitating. When you ask for help, you are simply taking the first step in confronting your fears. This may be troublesome or embarrassing, but it is better than the alternative, which is living your life with regrets.
2. You Realize That Your Weakness Is Bravery
If you believe that asking for help is reserved for the weak, then you need to update your perception. The truth is that only the strong asks for help because they know this is how they can overcome their weakness.
Just ask yourself this question: have you ever thought of someone as being weak then he/she asked for your help? The answer is probably never. In fact, you most likely enjoyed offering others your assistance.
So isn’t it just crazy when you need help that you become stuck because you were afraid of what someone else might think? So put aside your ego and bravely reach out to others.
You could be amazed.
3. You Are Openly Accepting Your Vulnerabilities
Our vulnerability begins from the moment we were conceived until our very last breath. The form of threats may have changed in our modern society but the feeling of vulnerability will always remain.
The rich man is afraid of being robbed of going broke, the beggar on the sidewalk worries about his next meal, the school children are constantly watching out for bullies.
Courage did not come about in the absence of feeling vulnerable. On the contrary, courage often arise due a person wanting to feel less vulnerable. This is one of life’s many paradoxes.
So close your eyes, take a deep breath, and seek out your vulnerabilities. You will find many if you only take the time to look. That’s what makes you, you.
Accept your vulnerabilities, live with them, and improve upon whichever ones are within your control. Ask for help.
4. You Are Choosing to Help Yourself
No one can help you unless you are willing accept others’ help. In other words, you have to help yourself before anyone can help you. It starts with you and you alone.
The first time that you ask for help will probably feel very uncomfortable if you have developed the habit of going at it alone. This is absolutely fine since you are stepping outside your comfort zone.
Asking for help will start feeling much more natural once you have done it a handful of times. In fact, you might just wonder what took you so long to do it.
5. You Are Taking Charge of Your Life
When you ask for help, you are sending the signal that you are doing what you can despite the circumstances that you face. You are willing to take the risks, knowing that the potential rewards outweigh the costs.
This is how people become great. Don’t believe us? Try looking up great people past and present and see how many of them became great by themselves. You will probably find none, if any.
You can do more and achieve greater things with the help of others than doing them alone. The saying ‘no man is an island’ by English poet John Donne seems most apt in this context.
Always Keep in Mind That People Love to Help
Can you imagine a world where not a single person is willing to lend a hand? What would this world look like? Would you even want to live in such a world?
So put aside your ego and go out there and ask for help with pride. Start with something small like asking a friend to make a call on your behalf. Go and bring out the superhero in you.
One last thing: asking for help is great but so is lending a hand to others in need. The ability to do both is a useful life skill that everyone should strive to perfect.
