“Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength and self-awareness.” – Maya Angelou
As an actor whose employment is inconsistent, I often work as an Instacart shopper. Sure, it gives me financial independence and bolsters my more unstable career but primarily, it satisfies the orderly meticulous part of me that loves to put her attention to detail to good use. When I shop for my household, I am like a roomba who moves around the store in autopilot. On my first order, I was jazzed to start roombing around and it was no surprise that I started bumping into aisle corners while shopping for others because my system was glitching from never having shopped for a few items on the list.
I tried to find and learn everything on my own, but guess what, I completely missed the fact that at the bottom left corner of the shopper app was a countdown timer that kept ticking while I was figuring things out at my own pace. My eyes caught it only once it started blinking in bold red when I was dangerously close to not completing the order in time. I had to race to the finish line to complete the order and I still didn’t meet the deadline.
A couple of orders in, I realized that if I wanted to fulfill orders in the allotted time, I will have to ASK FOR HELP. The reps at the store are knowledgeable about the product organization and it takes them a microsecond to point me in the right direction.
I quickly realized that this formula is applicable to everything in life and that there is no glory in doing everything on my own. There are professionals in every area today whose only job is to help their customers with what they need.
Unable to find an item in the store? Ask for help.
Hurt your foot and need a glass of water? Ask for help.
What to lead a healthier life but don’t know where to start? Ask for help.
Feeling mentally overwhelmed? ASK FOR HELP
Of all the examples, the last one is of utmost importance. There is an excess of information and stimulii coming at us from every direction today. It is hard to put a finger on what is causing the sense of overwhelm and harder to find our way back to calm. This is where professionals can offer thoughtful insights and tools to cope. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I always do.
