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Why Do We Fear Asking for Help?
Being frowned on is not a good feeling
We’ve all been there. You’re struggling with something like a project at work, a personal problem, car trouble, or even simple household chores — whatever it is and you’re overwhelmed. But for some reason, despite the obvious need for assistance, you hesitate. You fear asking for help.
I get it because I know I’ve been guilty of this. Just like recently when I was swamped at work, juggling multiple deadlines and feeling like I was drowning. I had all the resources I needed to get a major project done, but the weight of it all was too much. I knew my coworker, Erin, had done similar projects in the past, and I was sure she could offer me some guidance. Yet, I hesitated to ask her to help me. But why?
It was because I felt like I should be able to handle it on my own. I didn’t want to look incapable or like I couldn’t manage my workload. There was this nagging voice in my head that said, “You should figure this out yourself.”
Eventually, after days of struggling, I finally checked my ego and asked her for help. And to my surprise, she didn’t think any less of me. Don’t ask me why I thought she would. I just did. But she was cool about it.
It made me wonder though why I waited so long to ask for help. I realized it wasn’t just…