The Power of Asking for Help with Jahna Berry | ep216
For the month of December, we’re doing something truly special.
Each podcast episode this month will be hosted by one of our incredible Wholehearted Coaching Certification graduates, offering their unique perspectives and transformative insights.
This week, Executive Coach Jahna Berry dives into a very well-timed topic: asking for help. She guides you through how you can use your body’s intuitive signals to recognize when you need help and align your values with your deepest desires. During the holiday season, it’s so easy to become overwhelmed and stressed and it can be really hard to both ask for help and recognize when we need it. You’re going to love this one, love.
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Have you ever felt overwhelmed but didn’t know how to ask for help—or even if you deserved it?
I’ve been there, and let me tell you: you deserve to feel, understand, and go after your desires. And you deserve to have the support necessary to do it.
But maybe, like so many of us, you’ve become so used to pushing through discomfort and keeping the peace that you don’t even realize when you need help. You might be disconnected from those moments when you could use support. That’s why today, I want to share how you can use your body as a guide to know when to ask for help—and why you are incredibly deserving of it.
Listening to Your Body: What Are Intuitive Hits?
Have you ever felt a strong physical sensation when something just didn’t feel right? Maybe it’s a tightness in your throat before stepping up to a microphone or that quiet pit in your stomach when you know it’s time to leave a toxic job.
These are what I call “intuitive hits.” They’re bodily sensations that signal something important, often tied to a deeper truth or need.
Now, I’m not talking about a mystical “That’s So Raven” vision (though, great show, right?). I mean the physical unease we experience in our bodies. It’s counterintuitive, but I believe that unease is actually a good thing—it’s a sign that something isn’t aligned and that we need to pay attention.
Why We Ignore Discomfort
The problem is, we often don’t stop to examine these feelings. Life gets busy, and slowing down to notice discomfort isn’t always our first instinct. Instead, we blow past it, ignore it, or numb it—only for it to resurface later.
But what if, instead of avoiding these sensations, you treated them as signals? Your body is trying to tell you something.
How to Decode Your Intuitive Hits
The next time you feel a physical reaction, try this:
Pause and notice the sensation. Maybe it’s a heaviness in your chest, tension in your shoulders, or heat rising in your face.
Ask yourself: What do I really want to happen in this moment? What’s my ideal scenario?
Get curious. That initial discomfort is your body’s way of saying, “Something’s not right.” Slow down, reflect, and journal if you can.
For example, if you feel tightness in your shoulders while grocery shopping, maybe it’s because you’re frustrated that your partner isn’t helping more with meal prep. That’s an intuitive hit telling you to ask for support.
Why Asking for Help Is So Hard
Let’s get real: asking for help can feel incredibly hard. Maybe you think:
“I don’t want people to think I’m incompetent.”
“I promised I’d handle this myself.”
“I don’t deserve help.”
Sound familiar? I’ve been there too. These thoughts often stem from a harsh inner critic that keeps us from acknowledging our needs.
Overcoming the Inner Critic
When those negative voices creep in, here’s what I do:
Question the thought. Is it really true? For example, when I told myself, “I’m a terrible business owner because I need help,” I realized it wasn’t true. I’ve had a long career, and I know how to find tools and people to support me.
Reframe the situation. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re weak; it means you’re committed to doing your best work.
Connecting Help to Your Values
Here’s a tip that changed the game for me: link the help you need to a bigger purpose or value.
For example, when I needed administrative support for my business, I asked myself: What’s the greater work that needs to be done here? My deeper mission is to help people of color and queer leaders rise into senior leadership roles. Getting help wasn’t about me; it was about fulfilling that mission.
When you connect your need for help to a larger goal, it becomes easier to ask for support.
You Are Deserving of Help
If nothing else, I want you to take this with you: you deserve help. Your discomfort is a signal. Your needs are valid. And your larger work—whether it’s leading a team, caring for a family, or building your dream life—is too important to ignore.
So, the next time your body sends you an intuitive hit, don’t brush it off. Slow down, listen, and ask for the support you need. You’re not meant to do it all alone—and you don’t have to.
Connect with Jahna Berry
If this resonates with you and you want to explore how to hone your intuition or become a more confident leader, I’d love to connect. You can find me on LinkedIn or learn more at jahnaberry.com. Let’s work together to help you thrive at work and in life.
You are deserving. You are capable. And you are never alone.
If you’d like to connect, you can find me at:
LinkedIn: Jahna Berry
Website: jahnaberry.com
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About your host, Shirin Eskandani
Hi, love! I’m Shirin.
Coach, speaker, writer, and life alchemist.
I teach you how to listen to your intuition again, tune out all the BS, and let your heart lead the way.
Because once you strengthen your inner GPS, decisions become easier, boundaries become clearer, and belly laughs become a daily thing.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME:
I’m a certified life coach (accredited through the International Coach Federation)
My husband and I met on Instagram and we live in Brooklyn, NY with our plant babies
I have a masters degree in Music and was a professional opera singer for twelve years. I worked all over the world singing on stage at Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera (more on that later…).
I believe in the woo just as much as I do the work (internal and external). No amount of crystals and affirmations will make up for a lack of a healthy mindset and aligned action.
I love all the Real Housewives franchises. Don’t make me choose one… seriously, don’t.