"When I say I need to submit to an outside perspective, I am not discounting my perspective, biases, successes, hopes or dreams. "

What a great reminder!  People can be so prideful, me included!  But beyond pride, they can talk themselves out of reaching out to others, simply because they do see it as a sign of weakness.  Remembering that "in spite of" our gifts and talents, we all could do well to heed the Scriptures, and the advice of the Beatles(or Joe Cocker, depending on how old you are!_...

"I get by with a little help from my friends!"