Getting help sounds simple. But it’s not always easy to do. Sometimes westand in our own way without realizing it. Certain beliefs or ways of thinking canmake it hard to see opportunities for help. Here are some examples.

尋求幫助聽起來很簡單，但做起來并不總是那么容易。有時我們會在沒有意識到的情況下阻礙自己。某些信念或思維方式會讓人很難找到尋求幫助的機會。以下是一些例子。

Obstacle 1： Believing That Needing Help Is a Sign of Weakness

Asking for help shows maturity2 and confidence. It’s a sign of strength， notweakness. You know what you need and you’re not afraid to reach out for it.

障礙1：認(rèn)為需要幫助是軟弱的表現(xiàn)

尋求幫助是成熟和自信的表現(xiàn)。這是力量而不是軟弱的象征。你知道自己需要什么，而且不怕嘗試去尋求幫助。

Obstacle 2： Thinking You Don＇t Deserve Help or Support

Everyone needs help now and then. No one can—or should—handle3everything alone. Accepting help can strengthen friendships and relationships.Everyone feels good when they can support a friend！ Be choosy4 about who you askto help， though. Share your feelings or a problem with someone who listens andcares—not someone who criticizes， or blames you.

障礙2：認(rèn)為自己不值得幫助或支持

每個人時不時地需要幫助。沒有人能夠———或者應(yīng)該———獨自處理一切。接受幫助可以加強友誼和人際關(guān)系。每個人在能為朋友提供支持時都會感覺很好！不過，對你求助的對象要慎重。把你的感受或問題分享給能傾聽和關(guān)心你的人，而不是批評或指責(zé)你的人。

Obstacle 3： Waiting for Someone Else to Make the First Move

It’s not always easy for other people to see when we need help. Maybe we’reputting on a cheerful face to mask the problem or giving off a vibe5 that we don’twant to talk. Don’t wait for someone to read your mind or notice what you need.Ask directly.

障礙3：等待別人先邁出第一步

別人并不總是容易看到我們何時需要幫助。也許我們是在擺出一副愉快的面孔來掩蓋這個問題，或者散發(fā)出一種我們不想說話的感覺。不要等別人讀懂你的心思或注意到你的需求，要直接求助。

None of us can go it alone. Because it can be hard to reach out for help， don’t hesitate6 to reach out and offer support to another person if you think he or sheneeds it. Giving and receiving help are great life skills to learn. They help us learncharacter qualities like empathy7 and generosity8， as well as understand otherpeople better.

我們誰也不能單打獨斗。因為尋求幫助可能很困難，所以如果你認(rèn)為另一個人需要幫助，請毫不猶豫地向他或她伸出援手。給予和接受幫助是需要學(xué)習(xí)的很好的生活技能。它們可以幫助我們學(xué)習(xí)同理心和寬宏大量等性格品質(zhì)，并更好地理解他人。

（英語原文選自：kidshealth.org）