Let me start this off by saying there is no shame in asking for help. This statement took me way too long to learn, and even longer to start finally implementing it in my life. I have always been the type of person to do things alone and “my way.” Call me a Type A, I call it being a Leo Moon/Leo Rising; nonetheless, I felt that I had to be the person to take the reigns at any given time since I knew I possessed the skills to get the job done right and to get it done well (that’s definitely the Aquarius Sun chart ruler though…)
However, this all comes with a price. As I have written many articles about the stress of burnout and how to relax, temporary moments of relief were not enough. I still felt like I was drowning in my responsibilities; home, school, relationships, student organizations… I needed help. I needed to step back and assess that this stressful, constant, go-go-go way of living was not feasible for me: I needed help.
Thankfully, our campus has a counseling center. It took a lot out of me to make my first appointment, and I almost canceled it twice before the day finally arrived. I even made the appointment via TeleHealth, so I could do it from my bedroom. No shame in that. For the first couple of sessions, I can openly admit that I hated it. I felt like I was being judged and that my responses to the stressors in my life were invalidated because they were “the wrong thing to do.” Luckily, all it took was switching counselors.
Now, 3 months later, I feel so much better than I did before. Simply talking about things with an unbiased third party has been so beneficial to how I see my own interactions with my environment and with others. I now know that I, a young adult woman, do not have to feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. I can ask for help and talk about my struggles openly, without judgment, and receive feedback for the intense things I may be feeling.
So, readers, I want you to take this story with you as you enter Finals season. Please know that it’s okay to reach out and that you are not alone. You don’t have to girlboss your way through life all the time: remember, it’s so girlboss to ask for help.