Some of us might find it extremely difficult asking for help as we are afraid- afraid of rejection, afraid that we would be told “no”, afraid that we would be seen “less than” or weak, or afraid that we would be “found out”.
However, asking for help is actually a very brave thing to do, as it requires self-awareness of where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Asking for help also allows you to proceed with whatever you want to do, gain the opportunity to collaborate and learn from one another!
Your challenge for this week is hence to: Ask for help when you need it!
What was the task you were struggling with, and who did you ask for help from? How does it feel having someone to help you as opposed to doing the task by yourself?
I do ask for help when I am struggling so I had an easier time for this challenge. It is a heartwarming to know that there’re so many friends out there who are willing to be there for me.
When I was in school (pri to JC), I turned regularly to my friends and tutors for help with my academics. I wasn’t bad in my studies, but neither was the Singapore education system (read: stressful, competitive, grades focused, rote learning) most suited for me so I had to get all the help I could receive to perform decently. I am eternally grateful for all the help I have gotten (esp to my mum who invested much into getting me tutoring help) to get me enough grades for a good university education.
I think though that there is a line / spectrum in reaching out for help and being dependent on help. I felt in my case, I formed some kind of dependency on my tutors over time to help me with my homework so I didn’t try as hard as I could to complete them on my own. This is probably something which we have to grapple with when thinking about asking for help - when do we try to solve something on our own to build resilience, and when should we reach out for better outcomes.
To complete my story on my education journey, it worked out well in the end. I was better suited for tertiary education which required analytical thinking and encouraged independent thoughts, and I became an academic helper to many of my schoolmates for my undergrad and post grad. I hope everyone will have the opportunity to receive good, timely help and be able to help others in their journey in any way possible!
