In the last week, my husband and I decided to purchase a new home. We have been keeping our eyes on some neighborhoods for a while, but when this home on a cul de sac came up, we got over there quickly to take a peek. We wanted nothing more than a quiet street for our active kids to play, without the worry of cars whizzing by. Things of course happened at a very fast pace, and now we are in the midst of coordinating logistics of remodeling this home and getting ours prepared to put on the market. I am a bit sleep deprived to say the least. However, I thought my experience would make for a great Monday morning tip. With everything that is going to take place and all of the stress and chaos piling up, I’ve realized that I am going to have to ask friends for some help. Like many other women, I tend to want to do things on my own. I don’t typically ask for help or assistance unless it is absolutely necessary. I have realized over the years however, that when you neglect to ask friends for help, you are not allowing them to feel needed and appreciated. We all know how good it feels to help someone in need. Most of us would bend over backwards to help a friend, without a second thought. So, in essence it is an act of kindness to look to others for help and advice. It validates what they bring to the friendship and it creates a two way street of giving and receiving. What I would like for you this week, is to become aware of everything you have going on in your life, and then commit to asking others to help you navigate it all. See how it feels to reach out to others.
ACTION TIPS FOR THE WEEK:
1. Look at your life
The first step is looking at everything you have going on in your life. Create a list including work, cooking meals, driving kids to activities, volunteering, cleaning home, traveling and anything else that comes to mind. These are the activities that take up the majority of your time.
2. Delegate or bring on help
Instead of waiting for the major life challenges to ask for help, realize it’s ok to ask for help with the daily tasks. Who can lend a hand or simplify your load? Can you husband or wife share the meal planning for the week? Can a friend drive your kids to sports every other week? Are your children old enough to pitch in with the cleaning or do their own laundry? Come up with some ideas on who can work with you to create a simpler and more enjoyable life.
3. Give and take
Part of any friendship or relationship is giving and receiving. If you are constantly helping others, maybe it is time to ask for some help in return. If you are the one to always take advantage of others help, try offering your assistance this week. Make sure there is equal balance in your relationships. It’s ok to ask for help and it is always ok to help your friends without them having to ask.
