When I was working at a college as a director, we were having a meeting, and I couldn't get a friend's FB post out of my head. At the same time, we talked about opportunities to engage with the community and bring positive events to the very low-income/rough neighborhood our school was in.
My friend had posted that her son (who had won his battle with a very dangerous brain tumor and whose father was deployed AGAIN) wanted to meet a police officer for his birthday that year. I mentioned that it would be cool if we hosted a birthday party with some local police officers for him. That was my thought.
Well, we worked on it, contacted the local police stations, and one officer that did community liaison work came and met with me and said, “we're gonna blow this up, it's gonna be huge, the community needs this!”
Fast forward six weeks, and we have over 15 different departments, SWAT, Sheriff's departments, mounted officers on horseback, a mobile command center, about twenty motorcycle units, and over 100 officers present to wish a little boy a happy birthday.
We opened the party to the community, and the kids got to come in and have Donato's pizza (over 150 donated pizzas!), birthday cake, and time with police officers. It was huge, the local news stations came in and covered it, and it was definitely the most memorable birthday party I have ever been to.
So why am I talking about this with you?
If I hadn't asked for that help, reached out to those around me, and accepted the help of those who replied, it would not have happened. If my friend had kept her son's request to herself and tried to do it herself, it would not have been an event to bless her son and other kids in the community.
Asking for help and accepting help when it's offered is a strength that you have to work on, just like strengthening muscles. For most of us, especially those who run businesses, asking for and accepting help is seen as a weakness. When in fact, it's a considerable strength that you should be cultivating.
You never know the connections that may come from that assistance, the networking that might take place, the opportunities that can come from working with someone, but above all that; you will not know the sheer joy of just getting that need taken care of.
You've heard it said it takes a village to raise a child; I think it takes a village to do just about anything worthwhile in life and business. The village assists you with a support system, emotional support, and a cheering section to celebrate with you!
What's holding you back from asking for help? Has someone offered you help with something, and you brushed it off? Have you been keeping your needs private out of embarrassment or lack of confidence that your need is actually important?
No need is too small to ask for help, and like there are no stupid questions, there is no stupid need.
Just. Ask.
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