When was the last time you asked for help?

I had to ask for a few things lately and it is uncomfortable but truly life changing. I have recently heard from friends that they truly can’t remember asking for what they needed until forced to by sickness or pure exhaustion and overwhelm. I have heard and seen tears as they begin to feel seen for all they have shouldered on their own for soo long. They being the strong ones. The independent ones. The ones who have only known how to do for themselves—the survivors.

These last few months, I asked for help packing up and moving my things into storage, a friend to meet me for dinner, a place to stay for a couple of nights while my housing situation suddenly changed, advice, and and…

A favor done purely out of the heart of another is soo healing. To receive a home cooked meal (or cookies), a shoulder rub, a plant planted, or a driveway shoveled — is well-received medicine!

I’m trusting more and more in the magical and mystical timing or coincidences as well—saying yes to strangers opening up their homes to me, sharing leads for work gigs or camper vans. And that has expanded my life softening the fear and doubts that love to creep in when well-meaning people say, where are you going to live? what will you do for work?

Can’t say it has been easy being that vulnerable but it has been rewarding and a super positive experience, To allow myself the pleasure of receiving after soo many years of feeling that asking was shameful—a burden for others—a sign of weakness etc.

What if….asking is a gift?

For example, the awkwardness of asking to stay with someone morphed into magical girlfriend sleepovers complete with awesome conversations, laughs and kombucha till the wee hours. A gift. The aid of a friend helping me simplify my stuff and pack it up and help me organize it, helped me relax allowed us to open up and get to know one another more intimately. A gift. A helpful acquaintance doing you a favor and then becoming a new friend. A gift.