The Magic of Asking

Oh, how most hate to ask for help. And it doesn’t get any easier just because the person who could help most is your partner, bestie, sibling, or whatever. Because it means you have to know what you need and then you have to figure out the best person to support you. Ugh.

And the humorous side to this is that we often don’t ask, simply because we believe the people closest to us should already know what we need. Sorry to break it to you: They most likely don’t.

So, here are a few options to potentially make the asking a little more productive and a little easier:

· Tell folks what you need and what you want. Get specific. Don’t’ be wishy-washy. Just go there.

· Provide the details. Most folks aren’t mind readers, so explicitly state that you are asking for a hand, a bit of support. Waiting for someone to recognize you need help isn’t fair to them nor is it fair to you.

· Follow the kindergarten rule and say, ‘thank you.’ Appreciate the support you’ve received. People are so willing to jump in and support those they love, especially when gratitude is shown.

· And remember, asking for support, many times, is a gift to the individual providing the support. Don’t deny

them.