Anyone who follows me on Instagram knows that I make a concerted effort to spend time reflecting every day. Sometimes this happens in the morning, when I get my daily headspace. More frequently, I reflect in the evening, once my day is over.
Like most people, when life gets stressful, my reflections tend to mirror this. I am a fixer and pleaser by nature, so these types of moments lend themselves to less time being thankful and reflecting on gratitude, and more time on analyzing and synthesizing words from every conversation and interaction. Unfortunately, this often ends in exhaustion and frustration.
In talking about trying to find balance, someone mentioned to me recently that there are times when we are meant to lift and other times when we need to let go and lean. This has been my reflection the past few days. I put a great deal of effort into lifting others up. I try to be gracious and kind and to let the people around me know how much I care. When others are hurting, I try to be very intentional in giving them the support that they need, not the support I think they should have. The problem is that I rarely balance this with admitting that I need to lean.
The past few days, my reflections have centered on this balance between lifting and leaning. I’ve considered this both personally and professionally. Reaching out isn’t always easy. It admits vulnerability, but what I’m realizing is that I am surrounded by amazing, strong friends and loved ones who don’t view me as a burden.
I am incredibly thankful for those who remind me I can always lean into them.
Don’t be afraid to lean and if someone needs to lean on you, I find the advice in this article very helpful in lifting others up.