What To Do When You Feel Out of Your Depth

What to do when you feel out of your depth

Leaning On Your Strengths

Ever felt like you have no idea how to help someone? You’re not alone. Supporting others can feel overwhelming, especially when the stakes are high. But here’s the good news: you don’t need to be an expert. You just need to be yourself—and lean on your innate strengths.

You might think, “I’ve been through similar struggles, but what if my advice isn’t helpful?” Don’t overthink it. Your role is to share your story authentically, not to have all the answers. You don’t have to solve anything. Your strength is creating space for someone to express themselves - listening (and not talking) is harder than we think.

Using Your Strengths as a Guide

• Focus on Small Actions: If you enjoy tackling small, practical tasks, like tidying up or running errands, do more of it. You’re not out of your depth if you can lighten someone's load.

• Start with Positivity: If you naturally know how to bring a moment of relief, whether it’s through humour or encouragement, that's as complicated as it gets.

• Offer Consistency: Do people know you as the reliable one? The person they can rely on. A regular check-in can mean the world to someone in crisis; and you're already great at it.

  
  

Leaning on your strengths means trusting your instincts. You don’t need to be perfect; you just need to show up in the way that feels right for you.