We all know of people in our lives who could use a little help. Whether this help is something that you can do as an act of service, like holding a door open for them or buying them a meal, or something that you can help with on a bigger scale, like helping them make repairs around their house or assisting with other care, it feels good to be able to help those in need. However, some people who really could use your help simply won’t accept it.
Although the reasons for not accepting help vary, if you feel that you want to help someone who won’t accept your help, there are still some things you can do to offer them support. To help you learn what these things are, here are three ways to help someone who’s reluctant to accept help.
Speak Kindly About Your Concerns
For most people, one big reason why they might not want to accept help is because they don’t want to be seen as weak. But if you’re wanting to help them out of a love for who they are, you can sometimes get this point across to them by speaking to them about your concerns.
If you choose to talk to this person about wanting to help them, make sure you speak kindly about what your concerns are. Try not to be confrontational and to be willing to accept whatever decision they make about accepting your help or not.
Keep Asking Questions About What They’d Like To Change
At times, people might not want to accept help from others because they think they can handle things on their own. If this is the case with your friend or loved one, you might want to simply ask them questions about their life and what things in their life they’d like to change. If you feel that you can help them make some of the changes they’re seeking, they might be willing to accept your help. Or, by growing in understanding of them and their situation, you might be able to more easily accept that they don’t want help at this time.
Reinforce Your Willingness and Availability
When you’ve offered to help with one thing or another and your friend or loved one hasn’t accepted your help, you might feel like you’ve failed them. But just because they aren’t taking your help now doesn’t mean that they won’t ever take your help.
With this in mind, share with your loved one that you are willing and able to help them whenever they need and with whatever they need. This way, if and when they seek out help, they’ll remember your kind gesture and reach out to you for a helping hand.
If you know someone who you think could use your help but is reluctant to accept it, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how to deal with this situation.