"No thanks, I'm fine..." Do you recognise this answer? So many people when they are asked if they need help, they answer with a "no thanks". I used to be one of those people. I was raised to be independent. To look after myself. Not to be 'weak', whatever that meant goodness knows. Luckily I was also shown by others, that yes, you have to take care of yourself first, which refers to, as I understood much later, taking care of yourself. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. What it also means is that you don't have to do all of these, alone. Because, how wonderful is it to have that friend, that life-partner, parent, colleague etc. who says to you when you feel low on a somber day: "Do you need something?" or "Shall we go for a walk together?" or "Have you considered looking at what you're saying now in another way?". "Shall I make you a cup of tea?". Or when you found that coach/ therapist/ mentor who gently guided you towards a direction you never thought was possible and your life changed for the better? When we start to realise that yes, our attitude, our decisions will make a difference in how we will experience life, our level of consciousness rises, we become more aware. And when we realise that there are always people who can help us, that we are never really alone, that there are like-minded people with whom we can share our thoughts/doubts/fears/dreams with, in order for us to reflect/grow/heal/expand, we will WANT to reach out. Everything in the Universe is interdependent. An elder called Phil Lane Jr said to me once: "The hurting of one is the hurting of all and the healing of one is the healing of all". I could so relate to this and have felt the benefit of this wisdom a lot over the years myself too. Reaching out might open doors you never even thought existed. #together #reachout #support

Posted by Claudia van Zuiden at 2021-12-02 10:17:20 UTC