I was reminded that times are tough for many people at the moment when I received an email from a reader, whose name I will protect, asking for advice on how to resurrect her failed business.

I wrote down some practical steps to revive the business and sent off the email. The response I received stopped me in my tracks, for the answer I got back wasn’t the usual thank you for that helpful advice. It was ”I cannot do that. I am living with my daughter out of my car”.

I felt unable to respond until I remembered how I, too, had been in a similar dire position (you can find the documentary of my own story here…) and we had more in common than one might imagine from our different circumstances today.

Reflecting on her position, I recalled how in my own dark night I reached out to family, and friends, for help – and it’s with their assistance that my three children and I are where we are today – happy, healthy and back in business.

So, my advice to this courageous entrepreneur was to reach out. Reach out to family and friends for help. There comes a time when simply toughing it out isn’t the right thing to do.

Resilience is an important trait in the journey to success. But a vital component of resilience is knowing when to preserve your energy, so that you can stay the full journey and come back stronger. There is no shame in asking for help – for one person to have the pleasure of giving, there needs to be another with the humility to accept.

This week, I send a message to entrepreneurs and their families who are struggling right now. Preserve your energy, reach out to others for help so that you too can come back stronger (and wiser) to (re)build your future.