By Kathy Best, CNTC, CRRC, CRM, SPDC
February 10, 2020
If you’re like most people, myself included, you pride yourself on your self-sufficiency. The majority of us enjoy the privacy and confidence gained from being responsible for taking care of ourselves and pulling our own weight in the world. We become so independent that it can often be extremely challenging when we find ourselves in a situation where we have to ask someone for a helping hand or actually rely on someone else for support or assistance. Usually this happens as the result of an illness or an injury, but it can even be from a positive change, such as moving for a better job, or the arrival of a baby. During times like these it’s essential that we let go of feeling like we should be able to do it all by ourselves and accept help from others.
The first step is accepting the situation exactly as it is and recognizing our limitations. We tend to make matters worse by trying to do more than we should or by refusing to ask for support and spiraling into feelings of loneliness and helplessness. These tendencies can actually prolong our dependency when we do finally ask for and receive the help we need. We might also miss a valuable opportunity to practice acceptance and humility. Our ego often resists what feels like weakness or loss of control, but expressing and owning our limitations is very liberating and empowering.
When we shift our mindset into acceptance we move from the ego dominant experience into the deeper realm of the soul. When we honestly admit we sometimes need others and allow them to help us, we open ourselves to the realization that we are truly not alone in the world. This authenticity may bring up buried feelings of vulnerability, fear of rejection, and not feeling worthy, but when we look at those beliefs from a place of compassionate self-reflection we can begin to recognize them as false assumptions planted within us by someone else’s mistaken perceptions. This shift in perception can facilitate feelings of gratitude and appreciation as we open to the experience of being helped during our time of need. This newfound awareness can enable us to be more empathetic and humble in our service to others when we are called upon for help.
It takes courage, wisdom, and strength to surrender to and accept our own limitations, but the gifts of surrender are many. We discover the power of being authentic and honest, develop more humility, gratitude, and appreciation for ourselves and others, and we deepen our understanding of the human experience that enriches and expands our participation our lives and in the world.
Kathy Best is a writer, lecturer, certified nutritional therapy expert, certified rapid results coach, certified Ho’oponopono practitioner, Reiki Master and Quantum Touch practitioner, and the creator of the Light Weight Living program. With over 17 years of research, study, and experience using nutrition, emotional healing techniques, mind/body exercises, spiritual principles and practices, meditation, and alternative healing modalities she coaches and mentors clients in designing individualized holistic approaches to wellness and happy, fulfilling, heart-centered, intuitive living. Kathy has overcome numerous addictions, recovered from multiple long-term illnesses, met and married the love of her life, and created a happy, healthy, miraculous life of passion and purpose using her approach to wellness and living.
