“I do it myself,” said my son, Noah.

He was 2 at the time. As he steadfastly tried to put his sock on (poorly), our cat Boots couldn't help but get excited about the new "toy" dangling from his foot.

Which, of course, led to a typical toddler meltdown. Yet he refused to let me help him.

Even now, as an almost 16-year-old, asking him if we can help makes him upset (as if we're trying to get him to drink hot lava).

But honestly, isn't this pretty normal for many humans? Especially us high-achievers?

What about you, Friend? Do you bristle anytime someone offers to help you? Does asking for help feel like a failure?

I get it; I used to be that way, too.

Until breast cancer happened, where I had to accept and ask for help.

And I hated it because (in my mind):

• I was the oldest.

• I was the one everyone came to for advice.

• I wasn't supposed to need or ask for help.

Asking felt weak - like I was failing.

But I was wrong.

I learned several important lessons through this experience: