I’ve Got You

The quiet, life-changing magic of leaning on others and how trust can carry us through to who we're meant to become.

Dear Friends,

Help is given in a myriad of ways. Knowledge imparted. Guidance provided. An outstretched hand. A listening ear. Silent presence. Encouraging words. Skills taught. Mentorship offered. Introductions made. Kindness shared.

Who I am today is largely based on the grace and gifts of help I have received and also paid forward. As a matter of fact, I consider the act of asking for help as one of my superpowers. Specifically, when I feel lost, confused, and need important, often pivotal or critical information that is outside of my knowledge base or experiential wheelhouse, I naturally seek out the wisdom and help from those who know more. The same act that most people view as a weakness — asking for help — I view as a powerful act of strength. I don’t view the lack of knowledge or needing of help as something to be hidden, pretending I know more than I do or am more capable in that moment than I am. Rather, it’s just a relatable, and some even say an endearing quality, in that it speaks to our common humanity.

But even more importantly, it is a wildly valuable opportunity to learn. To grow. To level up.

The discomfort of asking for help that is so often associated with weakness, in actuality, is the uncomfortable feeling of vulnerability. Laying bare, mask off, open to perceived judgement.

But I come back to our common humanity. We all need help from time to time. That is the human condition. To pretend otherwise is a fools errand.

The crux is whether or not we have the humility to not be the smartest person in the room — not yet anyway? Do we have the courage to be vulnerable? To lean on or turn to someone else until we can stand independently on our own?

Personally, I have found that the power of seeking and accepting another’s hand can be life changing. Steadying. Guiding. Comforting. Their support conveying, “I’ve got you.”

Sometimes, literally, it is all we need in order to brave new places we would have never dared previously, having not believed in ourselves enough to lean into something different. Something greater. Having been too scared and unsure.

But the giver of their hand, they see us. Already knowing what we are capable of, they can fully envision the reinvention waiting for us on the other side of our fear.

And so the only way forward into our metamorphosis is to trust. To soften into the cocoon of their knowing until our own wings are ready. Letting ourselves be held in the space in between. Having faith that the gulf from where we are in this moment to where we want to be is often so much smaller than we think. Understanding that asking for help often is the key that opens the door to growth, connection, and transformation.

Xoxo - Francesca