Listen to this blog: https://anchor.fm/meghan-greenwood/episodes/Just-Ask-erd89i

Perhaps it all started when 2 career homes became the norm? Or maybe when families no longer lived together as a community and instead, relied on a car to get from house to house?

Help.

A word that carries so much weight. A word that for some reason, we don’t like to utter. A word that immediately seems to paint us into a diagnosis: “What’s wrong with you?”, “Maybe you should quit doing XX?”, “Why can’t you handle it?”.

Needing help, no matter what the reason, is absolutely normal. We shouldn’t let fear of stigmas or judgement hold us back from asking.

Think about your job. Most likely, you’ve been asked to help someone – your manager, a co-worker, or a customer. For some reason, when we’re being paid to do it, we don’t question the asker.

However, when it comes to our personal life – domestic tasks, kids, family/marital issues, schooling, goals, and general overall happiness – it’s a huge hurdle to inquire. Maybe we feel like we don’t want to burden someone else with our problems; but more often than not, we feel guilty. Guilty that we can’t do it all ourselves.

As a working mom, I can especially relate to this feeling. We’re supposed to be able to do it all. We put on the cape in the morning and don’t take it off until the kids are tucked in, the dishes are washed, and maybe our hair is shampooed. But the burnout quickly follows. Attempting to do it all can cause stress, strain, and a resentful feeling towards folks that seemingly do have it all together (refrain from Instagram comparisons during these times!).

But life is hard. The everyday tasks can pile up if we’re having a rough time. And as much as stress management can certainly help, there’s still only 24 hours in a day. Set a conscious decision to take life more like a child would – by asking for help when needed. Ask a friend, ask a family member, ask a neighbor.

It certainly takes a village.

Normalize help.