"I should be able to figure this out." Have you ever heard that voice in your head? Have you ever told yourself that you are old enough, smart enough, experienced enough, to figure something out? And then ... have you ever punished or ridiculed yourself for NOT being able to figure something out?
For many of us, asking for help seems reasonable in job settings and other professional circumstances where a demand for skills or knowledge are necessary. But what happens when we are struggling with an emotional issue? Suddenly, we play the game by different rules. We expect that we will miraculously have the tools we need to work through something that has it's roots in our most vulnerable places. We think that no one else could possibly know what we are going through and so ... we feel alone.
We come into this world alone and we leave alone. It's a solitary journey at both ends but in between we can share our ups and downs with others. No matter what you are dealing with; no matter how insignificant it might feel; no matter how debilitating it is; you never have to face emotional issues alone. At the Women's Wisdom Retreats we see a whole range of stuff from "I can't accept my age" to "I can't get over my husband leaving me" and "I can't believe I'll never be (successful) (healthy) (happy).
The impact is different for everyone and when we ask for help; for supportive feedback and new perspectives, we discover an amazing truth. We are never alone. Someone else has walked ahead of us and there's a line up behind us. All we need to do is ask for help.