This topic is one that I'm really passionate about.
Unlike last week's video where I'm still struggling with the idea of difficult conversations,
this ties in with what I'm really comfortable with.
That's to ask for help.
My question for you, "How many of you guys love helping others?"
"How many of you just light up when you help somebody else?
A lot of you probably said, "Yes."
But, how many of you feel comfortable accepting help?
For me, I truly would not be where I am today if I did not have the help of others in so
many ways (from my parents, to friends, to people I really didn't even know who came
up and came out of nowhere and helped me out when I needed it most).
Most of all, I wasn't afraid to ask for it.
When I needed something in life or I wanted to go somewhere, I wanted to chase something,
I realized that I need the support of others in whatever way that may be.
I'm not afraid to ask.
So many of you are afraid to ask for help and afraid to accept help.
When somebody wants to help you, even if you didn't ask, you're afraid to accept it.
That's stupid.
I want you to get over that pride, stubbornness, whatever it is.
Nothing irritates me more than when somebody is at the grocery store and then runs around
for two hours trying to find what they're looking for when there's somebody right here
where you can say, "Where's the quinoa?"
Then, they'll tell you where it is and you'll find it.
So you move on and you don't waste time.
That can apply to school.
There's somebody who's smarter than you who you can ask for help with your homework.
Whatever it is, ask for help.
Don't be afraid of it.
Don't have pride or stubbornness hold you back from letting others help you or from
asking help.
That ties in to my shirt, "People need other people" from a non-profit organization "To
Write Love on Her Arms."
They're a non-profit who specializes in helping people with depression, addiction, suicide.
These things are not so good.
There are a lot of people who die every year because of suicide because they're afraid
to ask someone for help.
I want you to think about that.
I feel that so many people, even if I tell them to reach out to me, they're still afraid.
They still won't reach out.
Even if I say, "Don't be afraid of me.
I'm easy going.
I want to help."
I want you to stop being afraid of me.
I may not have all the answers but I've connected with a lot of people and I guarantee you one
thing.
I will do my best to help you find the person who's the right fit for you and help you out.
Like this organization, they'll help you with the things that I just mentioned.
Depression is actually one thing that I struggled with.
You think that I'm Mr. Happy all the time.
Well, we're all normal.
We're all human.
I'm human.
If somebody acts like they've never had any problems, they're lying to you.
A few years ago, that was something that I really struggled with.
I tried to keep it all inside.
I never really talked to anybody, put on a façade and act like I was happy.
In reality, I was not happy.
I was depressed, stressed out and really afraid.
It wasn't until I opened up, asked for help and talked to somebody that made all the difference
in the world.
For each one of you, I want you to just ask and don't be afraid.
One final story...
There's this guy named Nick Vujicic.
He's a motivational speaker with no arms and no legs.
Some of you think you've got it tough.
How about being born with no arms and no legs?
It's pretty tough but this guy didn't give up.
He motivates people all over the world to never give up.
He was called in to meet this girl who's anorexic.
She was about to die and she said, "Why should I live?
What reason is there to live?"
He said, "I want you to think about something.
I want you to think about starting your road of recovery today three years from now, coming
back to the same hospital and walking into a room to a girl who's in the same situation
that you're in and helping her save her life.
Because you've been there and you've overcame it."
She started crying because she realized that she can save a life.
That's a challenge to each and every one of you.
You have the ability to save someone's life, to help someone and change their life, to
give others and accept from others.
You got to get over the idea that you don't have to ask anybody for help.
People want to help you and see you succeed.
In that situation, he tells her that nobody is better suited to help someone with anorexia
than someone who's been through it.
I have a good buddy, Josh Shipp.
He's an amazing motivational speaker and he was a foster kid.
Who better is to help foster kids than somebody who was one?
Each one of you is struggling with something.
You're in pain.
The bottom line is you're not alone.
There's somebody out there just like you.
You can overcome it and you can help somebody in the same situation.
How awesome is it to be able to talk to somebody who's been in that same situation and learn
from them?
Go out there.
Help somebody.
Accept help.