We all have different ways of handling the issues we face. This week we want to know — Who is the first person you would call (family/friend) when you face a problem and why? Or if you're the type to solve issues by yourself, tell us why as well.
There's no doubt that a problem shared is a problem half solved. There are times when I am weighed down with one challenge or the other. My type of personality, whenever I am in this state, I usually like to keep it to myself at that initial moment. Not because I am proud but because I am not the type of person that likes bothering other people with my own problems. So what I do is that bottle it up.
But then, I realized that this wasn't healthy. It would have made sense if other people kept their own personal struggles to themselves, but then, people; both friends and family, often approached me and shared their problems with me and I always gave them a shoulder to lean on, encourage them and helped them in every other way that I could.
Which got me thinking, if these people can meet me and I am able to be there for them, why can't I do the same? Another reason why I felt not sharing with other people what I am going through is because I felt it wouldn't change the situation, therefore it would have just been a waste of time. But I was wrong. Because when I gradually began to share my problems with people it brought about this relief. It's like you just let off some steam.
I recently had an issue with my academics. I had graduated from the University a while now but I had an outstanding with one of my courses. For a while, I kept this to myself, but I couldn't continue to do so. I had to share it with someone, and that person was my cousin. Somehow, I feel comfortable sharing things with him more than any other person. Another major reason why I was able to share this with him was because he finished from the same institution as well and he also had issues he dealt with before he successful departed from the school.
His encouragement and advice really helped in making me feel better. I had concluded that I had to seat another for extra year to rewrite the course that I had issue with. But luckily, a provision was made by my department to upgrade the results of students who were done but had just one course withholding them. I hurriedly grabbed on to this opportunity. After applying for the course upgrade and doing all the needful, I wasn't getting any positive feedback from them.
Meanwhile, my family didn't know about me having an outstanding course, except for that cousin of mine. My plan was to successfully go ahead with the course upgrade and clear from the school. I felt it wasn't necessary telling them, I felt it was going to make them bothered and they might even be mad at me for not telling them on time. But then as the course upgrade process was taking long without any positive feedback I became worried. So I decided to inform them on what was going on.
Surprisingly, their reaction was the opposite of what I had expected. Telling them was the best decision I made, as they encouraged me not to lose hope and assisted me greatly in prayers. Few weeks later, the course upgrade got processed and I proceeded with my clearance which I am almost done with. When I to think about it, I doubt if the story would have been the same had I decided to keep it all to myself.
Having someone to talk to goes a long way. However, I'm quite selective with the people I share things with. I guess the reason why people say nobody cares is because of the wrong people they came in contact with. There are certain people I've come in contact with that makes me want to say this sometimes especially when I shared certain things with them and they showed no concern.
But then I have a few number of friends that are quite different, and of course, my family. When some problems arise I am no longer scared because I have these people with me to share in them.
