Today, I was chatting with my friend and colleague Beth Leas who runs a fabulous holistic health care center in CT called the Total Life Care Center. 

 

In her work and her business, she supports hundreds of other practitoners to find new ways to network, build their businesses, expand their reach, and launch new endeavors through powerful marketing and community-building.

 

We were discussing what we’ve both observed in spades this year – that so many people who need and want help to create their own breakthrough in their lives and work, simply aren’t reaching out or stepping up to get it. 

 

We speculated all the potential factors behind this trend (there are many!), and we also brainstormed the root cause of this inertia and paralysis.  As we did, something wild came to my mind.

Here’s my thinking:

 

1) Thousands of people need help today to build their businesses, make life and career change, make more money, find true success and fulfillment, get healthy, and figure out a new path that works for them.

 

2) People are talking to each other more extensively now than ever before in history, sharing their views more openly – through blogs and social media, for instance.

 

3) Often, when we talk about our problems to others, we “feel” better for the moment, as it relieves our tremendous anxiety to share our worries and challenges.   This momentary relief, however, can actually rob us of the real impetus necessary to make true change in our lives and work.  We feel better for the minute by talking, and it lulls us to a calmer state, only to wake up in the same lousy dream we’ve been having for years.

 

4) Another potential issue (seemingly the opposite of point #3) – people and their businesses and professional performance are so visible these days through social media, websites, etc., that they’re more afraid to be truly authentic – to tell it like it is, and reveal their vulnerabilities and problems for fear it will reflect poorly on them.

 

Conclusion: Blogging, social media and the digital movement are bad (JUST KIDDING)!  Blogging and social media aren’t bad.  What is bad, however, is that thousands of people who need help aren’t reaching out to get it.  They’re staying stuck, despairing and hopeless because they’re trying to solve their problems themselves without getting help or an outside perspective. 

 

Einstein said that we can’t solve a problem on the same level of consciousness that created it.  I believe this with all my heart.  In isolation by ourselves, stuck inside our limited minds, we fail to see that shiny new possibilities, opportunities, and miracles are just one small step away. 

 

That key step is reaching out to get help.

 

Question of the week: Why do you think people don’t reach out to get help when they truly need it most?  And what makes you finally say, “Enough!! I need help, and now, and I’m going to get it!” 

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts and insights.  Thank you for sharing.

 

Here’s to many happy breakthroughs,
Kathy