Help!! I need somebody...

How are you at asking for help?

It’s only recently, that I have realised I’m not very good at asking for help.

As some of you are aware, my self-employment involves varied work throughout the year, with the summer months packed with busy days spent outdoors, hiking in the UK's National Parks, and helping young people develop their expedition skills.

For this element of my work I have to be self-sufficient looking after myself in a range of different weather conditions and natural environments and I’m pretty confident and well rehearsed in these skills. So when this work slows a little and I’m back at home in my art studio I feel I should be able to crack on with some creative stuff…without any help.

Giving help can be easier than asking for it.

However the reality is I actually find it really hard. I often have lists and lists of tasks that I feel should be my focus to help continue developing my little art business from trying to drive traffic to my website, one being writing a blog, trying to engage my followers on social media to building my workshop offering and painting skills.

Lists assist me in organising my thoughts, but understanding SEO, figuring out how to appear in an algorithm, and selling my workshops more effectively, even with Google's help, isn't the same as talking to a real person.

The thing is I know lots of very supportive and helpful people but unfortunately they also have no clue about these new aged going ons of the digital world and many have limited understanding of the art world and selling work as an artist.

So when was it that I realised I needed some help? and how did I ask for it as someone who would rather struggle on independently hoping no one will notice that I'm stuck?

Following several challenging weeks without income and experiencing numerous disappointments, such as canceled workshops, artisan markets, and a supplier ceasing trade, I contemplated giving up on my art. My unhelpful thoughts were fixated on all the negatives.

Feeling quite upset and frustrated, I reached out to the one person who never judges me, listens, and understands how essential art is to my identity—Dad! He first helped me realise that I can't simply stop creating art because it's something I've always done, even before turning it into a business. Being self-employed himself, he understands the anxieties that accompany slow periods, but he reminded me of the progress I've made since leaving my teaching career. He said, 'There are people who can help; you just need to ask!'

All I needed was a little nudge, and soon I had arranged a coaching session with a fellow artist to talk about my social media presence. I also attended a local artist meet up where we exchanged challenges and, more importantly, discussed opportunities to participate in exhibitions and brainstormed ways to promote my workshops. Additionally, I spoke with local artists at a shared exhibition about myself and my art, which led to discussions about other potential income streams related to my work as an artist.

The true reasons I struggle with asking for help originate from my childhood education, where a primary school teacher made me feel like I was a problem every time I asked for help. As a dyslexic, I needed help, but she made me scared to ask. As an adult and naturally a happy-go-lucky person, I have managed to conceal these difficulties by consistently pushing myself beyond my comfort zone, demonstrating to others that I can handle things on my own and solve problem without assistance. However, the truth is, as one of the young people I recently worked with mentioned, "I can't know the things I haven't learned yet," and to learn them is likely to require help from others.

I understand this post might be a bit deep, but I chose to share it because it's important to consider how you can keep growing and learning new things with support and it is ok to ask for HELP!