It’s okay to not be okay
September 11, 2026
By Jeff Becraft
In one of his movies, Clint Eastwood says, “Every man needs to know his limitations.” I don’t really remember much about that movie… but I’ve always remembered that line, and it is true. I have stated that line at many different times in my life.
And today, for me, is one of those times. There are two plumbers in our house (right now as I am typing this) replacing the bathroom vanities and sinks and plumbing that’s in there.
Now I am sure there’s some YouTube guy out there that can do this task in three minutes and 42 seconds… but that guy is not me. If I were attempting this project, this would be the topic for the next several weeks. And so, as one of my friends has said, “What every man needs in his toolbox is a phone and a checkbook.”
So today, we dialed the bullpen (actually Brenda made the call) and got two guys in here that knew what they were doing.
I had the privilege yesterday to hear Sheriff Leon Lott speak at the South Carolina state NAMI conference (and NAMI stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness).
I have heard him speak many times (he has spoken on behalf of Our Place of Hope and mental health to the public more than once) and he did an incredible job. It was an amazing message for all of us in there. I don’t know if it was recorded but if it was, it would be worth listening to.
One of the things he said was, “It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to ask for help.” In fact, he asked, “Is there anybody in this room that has never struggled?” No one raised their hand. (You would have had to be there in person to fully appreciate what he said next.)
But it’s okay to ask for help. And they are creating a culture at the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (and they are helping to influence other sheriff departments around the country to create a similar culture) to take care of the team, to take care of one another. There are a lot of difficult things we face in life. There are a lot of difficult struggles.
And it is okay to ask for help.
Many times, maybe because we feel embarrassed or shame (and why should we feel shame?), or feel like we shouldn’t need help… or maybe even pride… that we don’t reach out and say, “I need help. I’m struggling in this area of my life.”
That’s too bad… because the glory in life is being able to live out who we really are, and that does not mean we never have any struggles. The exact opposite is true – to be alive is to face struggles.
But as we live out our true identity, that is where we will be in stride with the purpose of our lives. That’s where we’ll have the most strength. But if we try to keep up with the Facebook images and the Instagram and the text messages and everything else… to try to portray some image to people that, “You know what, I never struggle. I’m okay. I’ve got my act together”… we miss out on the true healing and peace we could have.
I am thankful for Sheriff Lott and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and many others who are saying (and this is part of what Our Place of Hope is about)… it’s okay to say I need help. It’s okay to say I’m not okay.
So, if you are struggling with things in your life, tell someone about it. When we hide, we rarely ever come to a resolution. It is hard to see things in the dark. But when we bring things out into the light and can honestly face things in our life and realize it’s okay that I need help, and that it is good to join hands with others in life, that is where we can find healing… and growth… and strength.
Jeff Becraft is the Director of Our Place of Hope(opens in new tab) located in Columbia, South Carolina, where people find encouragement to regain meaning, purpose, and hope for their lives. Jeff has dedicated much of his life to helping shift the vision of people’s lives. If you would like Jeff to speak to your group or event, you can connect with him at [email protected](opens in new tab).
