The other day I was a bit sick… yes, I admitted it. It didn’t last too long that way!
I was watching my favorite “sick day” show, The Price is Right.
One of the contestants had brought her son on the show. He looked like he was about 6 or 7. She made it to the stage and he joined her.
When it became time for mom the spin the wheel, you can imagine that son was enthralled with the large, sparkly monster. Mom didn’t get into the final showcase, unfortunately. As Drew Carey was speaking into the camera with his final comments about showdown before the commercial break, the son began to tug at his suit jacket and point to wheel. He wanted to give it a spin, and he gave no attention to the cameras, or what Drew was doing. He knew what he wanted and he asked for it.
It was funny, of course, because the son was 6. But it made me think… at what point did we stop asking for what we want in life? When did we begin to be aware that people were watching, and that they may judge us for what we want, or for the mere act of asking? I see it all the time. We wait for all the circumstances to be just right, for us to have the attention of the right people, or maybe until no one is looking. We censor our desires rather than risking looking foolish.
Sometimes this is a good decision of course, but as a general way of being, the cost is far greater than the benefit. I have NO IDEA the missed opportunity in my life as a result of keeping my mouth shut, or waiting for someone else to intuit what I need and give it to me. I do know that there are times that I have just asked. And whether the person I asked could give me what I wanted or not, the mere act of asking opened up other opportunity in my life. (E.g. I ask one person if they need a speaker for an event. Whether they do or not, the following week I recevie 3 OTHER requests to speak.)
When we are afraid to be embarrassed, or to put people out, or to be judged for our desires, we cut the flow to the energy of receiving… all over the place, not for that one thing.
What can you ask for today?