Help or Support ?

There is a huge difference between HELP and SUPPORT

When you ask for help, you are either accepting or putting yourself in a position of powerlessness.  Not that you don't have power, but you have less than what is potentially available for you in this situation.  The direct result of this is that, as you give yourself less power, you are automatically giving a potential helper, more power.  This may solve an immediate problem, but may also cause longer lasting deficiencies.  When we put ourselves in powerlessness, we assume that others have more power than us, therefore we need "help".

Whereas when you ask for support, you are establishing community, interdependence and connection.  Here we are letting others know that we are striving towards something and would appreciate the potential benefits of their strengths, skills, and talents.  This leaves room for a fair exchange and a long lasting relationship of sharing strengths and the pursuit of our progressions.  When we consult each other, we keep our own power.  We can analyze the applications of the offerings, while upholding the power of the other as they share their attributes, we therefore receive "support" but also give it in return.

The inverse of this, is our hesitancy to ask for either help OR support.  We assume that both help and support create a vacuum of vulnerability putting us into a threatening position.  This may not be worth the risk, considering those around us available for 'helping'.  We know that helpers and supporters often take advantage of those who show weaknesses.  This is a very common and dangerous eddy in the river of progress.  We get stuck and try to figure it out as best as we can.  Sometimes this works, but sometimes we are left defeated, exhausted and with depleting inspiration for creative solutions.

SO !
Here is where we can take responsibility for our own progress.
We can ask for SUPPORT, as an equally powerful and capable person, offering invitation to collaborate on finding solutions ready to reciprocate if needed.
We can not try to HELP others when they seem they have forgotten their own powers, and offer support instead.

This isn't any different when you have your own support systems ...
they are, systems of support, managed by you and under your own responsibility.
Friends, Coaches, Therapists, Health Practitioners, Teachers, Mentors, Family etc ... these are important resources of support for your own unique system.


***********************************************************************

Journal Questions


* What support do you have in your life right now ?
           This could be people, professionals, mentors, family etc ...

* What help are your receiving or giving in your life right now?

* How could you enhance or maybe even begin the design of your support system?