I’m listening to a Tim Ferriss podcast episode with Anne Lamott. The episode is Entitled Taming Your Inner Critic, Finding Grace, and Prayer.

She’s sharing about the time that her son hit rock bottom with addiction. She wanted to help and tried to help. Then she realized:

“I have a disease of good ideas usually for other people. And I believe that my ideas would help them have better lives and at least make me less uncomfortable when I’m around them. And I learned that my help wasn’t helpful and that help is the sunny side of control.”

I love that. Far too often, we believe that we know what’s best for someone else. And we offer our help from that place. This can be terribly disempowering to people. I find it so much more helpful to believe that people have their own answers and that my job is to shine a light on their own answers (IF they want me to) and not give them my answers. My answers won’t work for them. In fact, when I start working with a new client, I always tell them that their wisdom trumps my good ideas.

Of course, when I get terribly uncomfortable or afraid, I forget this. I want to insist on giving MY help and MY answers. I suppose that’s easier than being with my own discomfort and fear.

“Help is the sunny side of control.”

What people really need, and I believe want, is our presence. I know that’s what I want when I’m hurting. Please don’t try to fix me. Be present with me. And I will do my best to not fix you and instead be present with you.

That’s empowering.