By Alexandra Blockton
ablockton@lc.edu

Have you ever been so shy to the point you did not know exactly what to do when someone on campus offered their kind help? Whether it was one of your fellow students, faculty member, teacher, professor, and/or counselor, etc.

At times, when we as individuals have been hurt so many times in life and been lied to, I get it, we do not like to accept help because we have been let down so much in our lives. It is as if receiving help from someone is not something you would like to consider receiving. But we have to remember all individuals are not the same and some people in our lives really are here to help us become successful in all aspects of life.

It is okay to have your guards up and trust individuals accordingly. That is absolutely just fine! No one is here to make you receive help on whatever the issue you may be facing in life. But do not hold others accountable for how someone in your past has let you down. Because when you have someone who is genuine and pure with all good intentions, by all means, let that person help you. They may just know what is best for you! We cannot keep our issues bottled up inside of us because if we explode, it will be nothing but more problems for us to occur.

For now just ask yourself these questions:

1) Is asking for help a sign of weakness or loss of control? Why?

2) When was the last time you remember asking someone for help? What were the circumstances?

3) Do you like helping others or do you see it as an inconvenience?

4) When was the last time you helped someone out? What were the circumstances?

5) What is something you need help with now or might in the immediate future?

6) Who can you ask for help? Will you? Why or why not?

Think really closely while you are answering these questions. Then, if you are facing a situation that needs immediate attention, please feel free to share your answers with someone whom you trust and confide in, that you know is honest and will not let you down. Also, if you are looking for advice, it will be very beneficial for you in the long run.

I am quite sure everyone needs someone in some form of aspect in life. We cannot do everything in this world alone. Especially being a college student, because we all face challenges throughout our lives. Be considerate of others who are offering their help! You may just gain a trustworthy individual for the long term. Also, depending on the type of situation you are in need of help with, it may tend to be times when you feel as if it is not worthy. If the other person is seeking something in return, but you are not able to return the help, just be honest and upfront because communication is certainly the key and will make a huge difference.

Furthermore, there are still some wonderful people in this world who have a heart of gold. Those may be the individuals you should choose to surround yourself with because they have marvelous intentions on providing help for you.

It would also be great for you to offer your help with others. If it is something you can help with and you are simply being kind, I am quite sure the person you are helping will be very happy. Who knows, you may just need them next time and they will just be there to help you, or at least someone else will be there offering their help. Also, you can always be considerate of others by offering your help as well, especially if you know your help will make a successful outcome of the matter!