What if, for once, you didn’t be the one handing out cups of coffee, time, praise and fixes — and instead let someone else pour into you? Not as an occasional luxury, but as a practice. Sounds strange, even selfish to some. But what happens when we stop giving so much and start receiving more? Spoiler: the world doesn’t crumble. You just get a little more of yourself back.

Why receiving feels weird

• We’re trained to earn our keep. Productivity and independence are trophies. Accepting help can feel like failing an invisible test.

• Receiving feels vulnerable. To accept is to admit we don’t have it all together. That prickly feeling? It’s just shame and fear showing up.

• There’s a worry about indebtedness. “What will I owe them?” becomes an instant math problem in our heads.

All of those feelings are normal. They’re also fixable.