Delivering bad news is never pleasant, but it is something we all have to do at some point. What is the best way to do it?
Share why if you wish.
Category: Advice
When Have You Asked For Help?
Life is so complicated that you can’t do everything by yourself. Is there a notable time that you asked for help?
More than any time in history, we live in an integrated world. With the touch of a button, we can speak to someone in real time half a world away. Products or food we consume come from dozens of different countries.
All this interconnectedness makes for a complex existence. The number of variables that might impact you is staggering. Add to that an ever-increasing pace, and you have a recipe for confusion and exhaustion.
With that in mind, it makes sense that we can’t get by as an individual. We need other people to help us in any number of ways.
Sometimes, that help comes automatically. Our society runs more or less on its own. Food shows up at the local grocery store without you having to ask for it. Products are made and services are offered in the normal course of affairs.
However, there are some times when you need to specifically ask for help. If you are overwhelmed, you might need to ask a coworker for assistance. If you just don’t have enough time to accomplish all your necessary tasks, your partner may need to come to your aid. Family, friends, or even complete strangers can be called upon in a variety of ways.
When do you most need help? Is there a particular instance that stands out in some way where you requested assistance from someone? Have you been asked for help? Does your experience being asked for help make it easier for you to, in turn, ask others when you need it? And what happens if you need help and it doesn’t come?
Related questions: How do you need help? How can you help? If you had an assistant, what would you have them do? What makes a good leader?
When Does Something Become An Unhealthy Obsession?
We all have interests. Sometimes, however, an interest can become an obsession that can endanger our mental and emotional well-being.
Obsessive behavior is all too common in our society, from eating disorders to gambling addiction to OCD. There are times we cannot stop our thoughts from damaging our relationships and our very lives.
And yet, obsessions don’t start out as obsessions. They start out as simple interests, the kinds we all have, very naturally, throughout our lives. At some point, however, an interest may undergo a transformation into an unhealthy behavior. We may not be in control of our thoughts, or of our reactions to those thoughts.
How does this change happen? How can you tell if such a thing has happened to you? And if you do manage to recognize it, is there anything you can do to modify your behavior or to lessen the impact on you?
What role does our society play in reinforcing obsessive behavior? And what can we do to proactively reduce the likelihood of an interest become an obsession? Finally, have you every had obsessive thoughts, and if so, what did you do about it?
Related questions: Could everyone benefit from therapy? How does technology influence your emotions? What should you let go of? How are your body and mind intertwined? How do you find peace when you need it?
What Can I Do?
When events are chaotic, or things change very rapidly, oftentimes people ask the question: “What can I do?”
It is only natural to want to take control of a situation that feels out of control. In order to do that, we want to take action, even if it is not clear what that action should be.
Take a moment to consider what action is appropriate. It may also help to consider what is possible. Where those two things overlap, meaningful steps can be taken.
For example, let’s consider someone who is having trouble at work. Feeling it necessary to do something, they might, say, perform a deep clean of their home. Cleaning feels like progress, and while having a clean home is a good thing, it doesn’t have any impact on the actual problem. The action is possible, but not appropriate.
A lot of people are feeling helpless or powerless right now. In reality, each person has more power and more control than they realize.
So how do you tap into that? What can I do in order to make a difference? How can we overcome the despair that tells us the situation is out of our hands?
Related questions: How much power does an individual have? How can you help? How can we turn ideas into actions? How can we turn sadness into constructive action?
What’s The Best Advice You’ve Received From Your Parents?
Parents can be a great source of learning. Is there any notable advice you have received from your parents over the years?
Share why if you wish.