That we all need help at one time or another is a given.
It is also a given that asking for help is one of the hardest things for people to do.
It takes strength to ask for help.
It only follows then that it takes a very strong person to ask for help.
Everyone carries within them a sense of natural pride and that can be a source of great strength or of great self-defeat, all dependent upon how we use that pride.
Pride can cause a person to put even the things held closest to him at risk.
On the other hand...
it can make sure those same things never are allowed to be put at risk.
If pride becomes a wall behind which we hide all of our shortcomings and go through life acting as though we have none of them...
we are in big trouble and in need of big help.
The first thing a person must do to get to the point where he can get help is to recognize that he needs help.
That is not always easy to see for not many of us want to admit we are at fault for we all have a certain level of pride that can work against us in a very negative manner.
We must get beyond that pride to admit that perhaps we have been in the wrong and maybe have added a big part to what has gone wrong..
whether it be within a relationship, between co-workers, at school, within the family.
If a person can get to that spot..
just to admit that maybe he/she had a part in the problem..
then the door is opened to where he can get to that point of admitting he needs help.
However..
that step could be a huge one..
sometimes too huge to be able to take in time to prevent more problems from arising.
If you are having serious problems in any faction of your life and you find yourself at that point of being willing to take some of the blame for the problems but are not yet ready to admit you need help so you can ensure you won't repeat the same behavior..
then you have to know that the problems that arise from this point on are on your hands.
If you want to avoid more problems...
then you must look long and hard at yourself immediately.
So we come back to how it takes strength to ask for help.
It takes strength to rise above our natural pride...
that pride which says..
"Not me.
This is not my fault.
" The best way to find that strength is to take a deep breath and then take three steps back from the emotions that rage inside of you whenever you come close to the truth of your own behavior.
Take three steps back...
then you will be able to look at your own actions and behavior in a very different light..
in the light of reality...
and you will know what it feels like to be bluntly honest with yourself.
Once you do this...
you will be able to recognize yourself as a true human being..
one that has fallibilities as all humans do..
This may be where you are able to turn things around in your life.
Of course...
you may want to just cringe as you look at things you may have done.
You can cringe all you want..
just don't let it stop you from going forward.
Cringe and admit at the same time...
then go on.
Beating yourself up over things you have done is a waste of time and changes not a thing.
If you find there is behavioral patterns in your life that you just cannot control...
get help.
This is where you will find out that it really does take strength to ask for help.
That old pride will fight you every inch of the way to that help.
Keep taking those three steps back.
It is the only way you will fight above that pride...
for the type of pride that keeps us from admitting our weaknesses is just a dangerous self-defeating emotion.
It is time to grow beyond that...
and you can.
Just remember...
it takes great strength to ask for help.
Once you do ask for it...
you will wonder how in the world you allowed yourself to wait so long.