Stress & Support

What happened? When did we decide that we should be able to handle everything on our own and that asking for help equates to failure?

The affects of stress have people literally wondering if they are crazy. The message we receive from society is that we should be capable having doing to all on our own. We reward and admire self sacrifice all the time. Think about the messages you are receiving at work, in school, and through the media.

Our fear of not being good enough, of being judged, and of failure keeps us caught in this self sacrificing cycle. What will they think if I admit that I am overwhelmed and need help? Will they think less of me? I see other people handling so much every day; I should be able to do it too.

Get Curious

If you were to have an honest conversation with the person who appears to handle it all – would you find out that they are also overwhelmed? You would discover that they too feel overwhelmed and require support.

We as a society are chronically stressed and it can be very hard to see how the symptoms of stress manifest in our lives. The belief system of having to do more is directly connected to a belief of not being enough.

By doing more, we are trying to Be more.

I encourage you to contemplate how this perspective affects your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. What do you believe would happen if you asked for help? Is this actually true?  I am inspired by the strength and courage it takes to as for help.

This week try this experiment, reach out to someone and let them know what is going on for you. You may ask them to just listen or you may have a specific request. If this sounds scary, all the more reason to do it. Let them know that this is difficult for you.