Hey Reader,

If you listened to the main episode this month, you know that functioning while completely depleted is a survival strategy, not a personality trait.

Here is the hardest part, especially for women. Taking the "strong one" mask: when you have spent years making it look easy, your sudden need for help can feel to the people around you like an accusation.

I remember the first time telling my husband that I was running on empty. I was completely overwhelmed, and instead of asking for support, I handed him an angry, itemized list of everything I had done that week while he was "relaxing after work."

Of course, it did not go well. He got defensive, I felt even more unsupported, and nothing changed.

The problem is that we wait too long to speak up. We wait until we are resentful. We expect our loved ones to read our minds and notice our exhaustion. However, they cannot see the invisible weight you are carrying unless you show it to them.

In this week's bonus episode of the Work it, Live it, Own it! podcast, I talk about how to tell your loved ones you're running on empty, without starting a fight, without making them defensive, and without having to wait until you are completely broken to ask for support.

Listen to the bonus episode here.​

I am sharing the See, Feel, Want framework, a simple communication tool that helps you reframe your depletion as a shared challenge rather than a personal attack.

If you're terrified to have this conversation because you are used to being the one who handles it all, I want you to know that being fearful makes complete sense. It is incredibly vulnerable to admit you are running on empty to people who rely on you the most.

However, you are allowed to need your loved ones. You are allowed to stop being the project manager of your entire household and ask for someone to carry the clipboard for a while.

Remember, you are allowed to need help and assistance from your loved ones.

P.S. Want to master the art of asking for support at home and at work? Grab your copy of Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and Career right here​

Warmly,

SaCola Lehr

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