Asking for Help is a Strength—Not a Weakness

This past weekend, I had a long conversation with someone close to me. Before hanging up, I asked, “Are you OK?” and “Do you need anything?”

It was only after asking those questions, that I discovered that the person had more needs.

I offered to help them in three ways: 1) By praying for/with them, 2) By giving to them in a way that I could, and 3) By referring them to a couple people who might also be able and willing to help them. These provided possible short term and long term solutions.

I realized that they would not have asked for help had we ended the call before I asked those questions.

Many of us have been taught that asking for help is weak. That being ‘strong’ or being an adult or as we say in our community—grown, means being independent and knowing how to survive all by yourself.

Listen Honey Child, that’s a bunch of ridiculousness.

While there’s nothing wrong with being independent, being interdependent is a much greater strength, for both the individual and the person/people in relationship with that individual. It is a process of giving and receiving—not giving, just to get. It is a healthy way of having one another’s back, in a non-codependent way.

Sooo, let me ask you…