If you could ask for one thing, what would it be? I asked for the courage to seek support. Ask and you shall receive. Let this be a guiding principle.
Sometimes, all it takes is three simple words – Please help me. The power behind this request is infinite. There is nothing weak about this phrase. It takes a very strong person to know they cannot take on the world by themself. We are brought into this world by another human being. We were created by two human beings. Our DNA is made up of infinite beings. We were never alone on this journey of life to begin with, so why pretend we can do it all by ourselves?
It’s incredible how a simple concept may be unfathomable for most women and girls. We are raised in a world where we have to compete with boys and men; where we are categorized as emotional if we don’t put on the stoic front that they do. Think about it, little boys are taught not to cry and to toughen up. In order to cohabitate, somehow and somewhere along the way, girls and women were treated the same; this is unfortunate for everyone. No one should stop crying and toughen up. That is called suppression and repression. I am all about confession and expression!
I was having panic attacks when I visited my grandmother in Cordoba, Argentina during Christmas of 2005. I remember walking into her bedroom with the intention of getting her empathy. The bedroom was warm and bright. It was a late summer afternoon and the strong Argentine sun was ever shining through her yellow curtains, creating for what my soul perceived to be a serene ambiance. As she sat by the window in her armchair, I sat on her bed and started crying like the Iguazu Falls. I couldn’t even speak, and that’s how I got her attention unintentionally. The lack of my breathing did not startle her. She kept looking at me until I calmed down. Don’t ask me why I was having a complete breakdown at that moment, I suppose it was another day of feeling overwhelmed. Not understanding myself was the reason why I went to her in the first place – intuitively – because I just did not know and I had to find out. She looked at me and said, “What do you need to stop having panic attacks?” As I expressed my need for therapy, I felt a sense of relief and relaxation. I was no longer carrying this heavy loaded secret inside of me. Immediately, she said, “Okay. You have my support.” She was unwavering with her generosity. I am unwaveringly devoted to her. My grandmother enabled my healing path on so many levels by setting the foundation for me to dare ask for help and become fearless of rejection – vulnerable.
Vulnerability leads to discovering your strengths in many forms, but primarily, it is in becoming human and stripping yourself of ego – which only debilitates the mind, body and soul – that you are able to relax, surrender and ask for help. Asking for help is a strong indication that you acknowledge your needs and are choosing to align with your unapologetic truth. It is when you become compassionate and kind to yourself, that you are enabled to feel what is really weighing you down, without judgement, just curiosity and love. Only then can one begin to get to know their inner-self. You no longer are running away from who you are by creating stories or personas that do not reflect your tenderness inside. This inner-connection enables you to trust yourself. Essentially, to really trust what you feel, what you are all about and what you want, allowing yourself to fully unfold.
I ask you, the reader, to lean into the power of asking for help – from your neighbor, colleague, friend, partner, family or stranger. We are all human. We are all deserving of a helping hand. The next time you are feeling a little overwhelmed, I invite you to relax by taking a deep breath in and know that you are the owner of the magic wand that asks for help. I wish you to consider becoming vulnerably courageous enough to try asking someone for their support without guilt. Adjust your mindset to feel deserving of that unmerited love. You will begin to see that the power of two is greater than one. When you are open to other energies and forces lending you their support, you will go further along your path. Imagine the places you will go with a little extra help. As you go along, remember to return that assistance to anyone in need. Together we are ONE. Together we are powerfully empowered.
Open-up, challenge yourself to ask for any kind of assistance and enjoy the magic that occurs. So, go on, ask for guidance, encouragement, help and love. You are allowed to ask for anything your heart desires. You have that power, so use it to help lift any burdens off your shoulders, allowing the energy of another human being’s support to warm up your heart so you can continue to grace the world with your unapologetic essence. You are strong. You are capable. You are deserving. You are human.