Receiving Is Also Strength | Why Letting Others Help You Is Not Weakness
If you live with high-functioning anxiety, you probably know how to show up for everyone else, but struggle to let anyone show up for you.
You’re the problem-solver. The reliable one. The person people count on in a crisis. And somewhere along the way, you learned that asking for help meant you were weak, needy, or a burden.
The truth?
Support is not a sign of failure. It is a sign you are human.
Why Receiving Feels So Hard
For many of us, independence began as survival.
If trusting others meant being disappointed, abandoned, or hurt, you learned to rely only on yourself. That self-reliance might have kept you safe once, but now it can keep you isolated.
High-functioning anxiety thrives in this space. You might be surrounded by people but still carry everything alone. From the outside, it looks like you’re “managing just fine.” Inside, it feels like exhaustion, loneliness, and the quiet ache of not being held.
The Cost of Carrying It All Alone
When you refuse to receive support, you:
Increase your risk of burnout and emotional exhaustion
Miss opportunities for deeper connection and trust
Teach your nervous system that safety only exists in self-reliance
Carrying everything yourself is not sustainable, and it is not the only way to be strong.
Practicing the Art of Receiving
Receiving is a skill. And like any skill, it takes practice.
This month, try:
Saying yes to help even if you could technically do it yourself
Accepting a compliment without dismissing it or minimizing it
Letting someone see your struggle without rushing to fix it
When you receive without guilt, you not only lighten your own load, you invite others into the sacred space of caring for you.
Your Invitation to Let People In
Start small. Let the door open just a little. Notice how your body feels when you are supported instead of solely supporting.
And remember: You deserve the same care, tenderness, and love you give so freely to others.
Journal Prompt
When was the last time I let someone help me without trying to repay them? What did it feel like?
Affirmation
I am worthy of care.
I receive with gratitude and without guilt.
Written by Marcia Blane, LPC, NCC, C.Ht.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor | Trauma-Informed Life Coach | Clinical Hypnotherapist
www.marciablane.com
