I grew up knowing that if I wanted something done then I needed to do it myself. I learned to be scrappy, creative, and to work hard. But the flip-side of my “can do” attitude was to take on more than I was responsible and to trust only on myself.

If you also grew up in an alcoholic/dysfunctional family, do you ask for help or do you prefer to do the work on your own?

A few years back I tried to move a big bookcase on my own. I needed to move it about a foot and thought that I could knock it out in a few minutes and be on my way.

I put my weight against the bookcase, struggled with it for a few minutes, and I succeeded.

However, later in the day, a dull backache from moving the bookcase flared up to be so painful that I could barely stand up straight.