When Is It Time To Seek Help?

Asking for help isn't always easy.

How do I know when it's time to ask for help?

Now, if you are a small business owner who is trying to solve a big problem, you could be a helper - someone who wants to make a difference and create something to give the world a great solution.

That means, possibly, you are better at giving than receiving.

So if you relate to that, which is a common story for me and many of my colleagues, that means asking for help is the last thing that you ever want to do. 

That means asking for help is the last thing that you ever want to do and even when you know it's time, it can still be something you procrastinate doing.

Let's do a little mental exercise here. Shall we?

I want you to imagine the person you love the most in the world - even if they're no longer on the planet - imagine that they are sitting across from you right now.

And you are looking them in the eyes.

And imagine they have just survived the last year of your life - that they lived your day-to-day, week-by-week, month-by-month, play-by-play.

How does that make you feel to imagine that they are living your life? That they are carrying the thoughts, the feelings, the body symptoms, the sleep patterns or lack thereof, the nutritional habits or lack thereof, the physical activities and abilities or lack thereof?

Imagine all of that being put on that person.

How would you advise them?

Let me tell you a story.

When my son was small, probably three years old, I was working in the yard. We have a retaining wall that protects the house from flooding and I fell on my right arm. It landed on a cement barrier, and I was getting on a plane with my two young children in less than 24 hours, so I didn't do anything.

My daughter was older, so she was able to manage her own belongings and my son understood that I was injured, so he did not expect me to carry him.

However, I went on a trip with two children with an arm that could have been broken.

When I returned from that trip, I got an x-ray and was relieved that it was not broken. However, the doctor was really upset that I played the typical mom card - what I would do for my child is not what I need. That my needs are not the same as my child's- my child is obviously more important and I'm okay. I can suffer, and it's no big deal. 

Well, that is just not true. That is just not true.

The doctor was right and, fortunately, I did not find myself in a situation like that again where I needed to go check if I had broken a bone.

However, if I had, I definitely had that advice in the front of my mind - that my body is just as important as my child's body and what I would do for my child is what I deserve to do for myself.

So I get it.

That is not the only story I could tell about not putting myself first.

You are receiving signs- listen to them!

Oftentimes, we are really kind and generous with giving of ourselves, even of our bodies, to serve our clients, and our families in ways that we dismiss as important in caring for ourselves.

So if you're wondering, "How do I know if it is time?" 

Possibly, it's a pattern for you and if that question even comes up, it probably means now is the time.

Sometimes thinking about someone you care about and what you would advise them to do if they were in a similar situation, can shine some light on what message you should be considering yourself. 

First and foremost, know that your body wants you to be well. 

Your mind, your emotions, your physical symptoms are telling you - setting off those alarms, throwing those red flags to let you know something is not right. 

Does that mean that you can handle it by yourself? 

I don't know, can you?

Do you have the personal and social, professional resources that you need to get through this?

Maybe you do. 

What I do know is that serving yourself well is the best way to serve your business well.

So if you do not have a mentor or coach to walk you step by step along the way, consider applying for my program and maybe that's a way that you can get the help that you need.

Need some clarity on your next best steps? Schedule a Clarity Call with me.

Ready to end the cycle of overwhelm and burnout? Add some new tools to your toolbox.