Do you remember the last time you assisted someone with a task? Helped an elderly person with their groceries? Opened the door for a stranger? Bought a coffee for the customer behind you?

We all tend to be helpful in many ways in our day to day lives. Volunteering in schools, food banks, and shelters. How about tending to the ill family member in the hospital day after day, mowing the neighbors grass when they were away, or tending to the stranger who’s vehicle broke down.

There are so many opportunities in our daily lives, to give of ourselves, and in turn, it makes us feel so good inside, releasing plenty of endorphins.

But you know what? So many of us are very reluctant to ask for assistance when we are in need. There are several reasons as to why, one won’t reach out, or accept help from another. I admit, I am guilty of this very notion over the course of my life.

Some of the reasons for not asking for help is because our pride and ego gets in the way. We may be embarrassed. We may not want to burden another, or we have fear of rejection. And sometimes we just want to go it alone, because we believe no one will understand us anyway. All the while, we may be desperately in need of another.

Needing and asking for help is definitely not a weakness, though many people feel it is. It can be challenging to ask a friend, a stranger or even a therapist to be open to listen to our woes. It means taking that step to opening up and being vulnerable.

Yet, if one does as for ask for help, it gives us an opportunity to grow and learn from the experience, no matter what the outcome. Reaching out to others teaches so many things about ourselves. It often gets one to go deep within and examine our own needs and accepting areas where there may be room for improvement in our lives.

It is then, that we need to put our egos aside and admit that we are not totally self sufficient. We really do need each other in some way, shape or form.

There is literally no shame in requesting the computer expert to assist in setting up the new laptop that arrived from Amazon or asking your dad to show you how to change the oil in your vehicle. There’s always a chance of bonding and or learning something new when we reach out for a lending hand.

When we disallow friends, family or strangers from assisting us from say, driving us to an appointment, or making a meal for the kids, or tidying and catching up with our laundry because we got behind, what this does is it robs the so called helper, from experiencing the joy of giving. That feel good feeling of endorphins being released for another. They need to feel useful and appreciated too. As we want to be helpful, so do others.

When we reach out for assistance it also teaches us to trust. Whether we call upon people, animals, the angels, God, the Creator and/or the Universe, it is important to believe that all of our needs will be answered. There comes a reminder through all of this, that there really is compassion in this world, and that if we allow it, we will be loved and cared for.

Take time right now, and ask yourself where in your life could you use either a small or large dose of help and take that step to reach out to someone and ask “I’m in need, will you help me?”

Allow someone to be of service to you today. Give and the world gives back.

From Home on the Ranch

Sue

P.S. “If you have to choose between being kind and being right, choose being kind and you will always be right.” Edwin C. Maturan

A side note:

As my life continues to unfold in my young senior years, as a single lady, I love to write my thoughts from the voice within on this blogging platform. Firstly in a form of therapy for me, and secondly, that I may assist someone else in their journey of life.

I have added a feature that supports me in a nominal way from you, the audience. It’s called “Buy me a Coffee.” The coffee cup logo is located in the bottom right hand corner of my blog.

It’s a simple and friendly way for fans to express appreciation by contributing the cost of a virtual coffee. This voluntary gesture assists creators such as me to sustain my work and continue to produce the content I share, that the reader enjoys.

I like to think of it as you and I, sitting down at your table, sharing my thoughts from within….while enjoying a hot cup of coffee.

So if you feel up to joining me from my “Thoughts from the Voice Within”, and that hot cup of coffee, I would be so ever grateful.