How to Ask for Help

As early childhood professionals, we often hear about the importance of self-care. Indeed, in these unusually trying times, it is more important than ever. But taking care of ourselves isn’t always as easy as it sounds, and sometimes we need more than a five minute break or a bubble bath to feel better. Sometimes we need to ask for help so that we can care for ourselves in a transformative and meaningful way. “Asking for help,” is one of those phrases we often hear but don’t often talk about how it’s done in practice. It turns out that asking for help is actually pretty hard to do, and many of us don’t know how to go about it.

Asking for help can be scary because it requires vulnerability, but it’s important that we understand the distinction between vulnerability and weakness. As Brene Brown said, “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weaknesses.” Similarly, asking for help isn’t always comfortable, but sometimes it is necessary for us to live wholeheartedly and to show up as the best versions of ourselves. There are many ways to help support ourselves before a crisis hits, and it doesn’t always look like a direct ask. In the document below, I’ve outlined several examples of what asking for help might look like. I hope this encourages you to take whatever steps you might need to support your own health and well-being. You deserve it. 

-Liz Means, Leap Coalition Program Manager