Asking Is Gratifying

I'm always talking to you about the importance of asking, to overcome your fears, your worries, your insecurities about asking. It seems so easy when I talk about it, but I had to go through a journey to reach this point.

?I don't know about you, but I was raised in a family where it was not appropriate to ask for help. Doing that, was a sign of weakness. It meant that you weren't capable, that you weren't strong enough, not intelligent, and?all?the other reasons. Fast forward many years later and I'm in the middle of my?first career, which is hospitality.?There's an opening at the company that I'm qualified for and I know I'm qualified in fact I'm the best candidate. When the position didn't go to me, I was hurt. I went to the general manager, and I asked, “Why didn't you offer the position to me? “And I'll never forget what he said. He said, “Sonia, you are the best candidate for this and we would have given you the position if you had asked, but we didn't know you were interested.”. Well, you can imagine how I felt. I was devastated and thinking about it now still makes me very sad.

?Thankfully, I have moved forward and that's what I'm asking you to do. So since then, I ask for lots of things; for knowledge, for advice, for information, for clients, for you to listen to me. So asking has become part of my life. And let me tell you, it's given me a great gift. Yes, it gives me the knowledge and the advice and all that that I want and desire. But more importantly, it gives me the gift of community and the gift of compassion, and the gift of connecting to someone because when I ask them, they feel that I'm regarding them with authority, and that's why I go to them. It’s a win-win for both of us. And yes I do ask for donations.

?My challenge for you this week is to step out of your comfort zone and ask someone each day for help in a different way. Ask for advice, how to use an app, help to?open a door because you are carrying a lot of heavy bags,?or whatever it is. And of course, I know this is really crazy, but I'm going to ask you to ask someone to donate to your nonprofit.