Watching a professional at work

A couple of weeks ago I shared a blogpost about the importance of asking for help. Today, while browsing my Twitter feed, the perfect video appeared to say more eloquently what I have experienced and am trying to achieve.

Amanda (F***ing) Palmer is a singer/songwriter/musician/artist who has perfected the art of asking for help. Confession: I have never actually listened to Amanda Palmer's music...but I read her husband's books. Amanda Palmer is married to Neil Gaiman. If you like fantasy fiction novels and you are an adult, then you NEED to know who Neil Gaiman is.

Here is Amanda Palmer's take on "The Art of Asking."

What I like most about Amanda's argument is the acknowledgement that asking leaves us vulnerable. But more than this, that vulnerability implies trust, and trusting others to help you is a beautiful lesson in personal connections. 

I have experienced this too, and I found that people are generally kind and willing to help. Amanda explains this kindness. She says that people want to help you because by reaching out and asking for help, you are connecting with them on a personal level. This is such a beautiful expression of the human spirit. Adopting Amanda Palmer's philosophy on "the art of asking" makes it easier to accept and enjoy the experience. 

My next mission!? To actually listen to Amanda's music. Anyone who is this cool of a human being is probably a fantastic artist as well. Cheers! 

Reaching Out

It does absolutely no good to be too proud to ask for help. Stubbornness and pride are some of the dumbest, self-imposed roadblocks a person can set up against success.

I have always been a proud person. I don't know where I got the idea that I was "above" asking for help, but I did.

Lately life has thrown me some curve balls, and I have begun to admit that I need help. When my dad died six months ago, I found that I needed a lot of help in a lot of areas. I needed my boyfriend's help to move my stuff back to my parent's house where I was staying with my mom. I needed my employer's help finding someone to replace me on short notice. I needed my former employer's help to reenlist me once I had moved back home. I needed my friends' help...just to have someone to talk to.

What I learned from this is that asking for help is not hard or embarrassing. It is, quite simply...helpful. I asked for support and I received it. I have done my best to express my gratitude and repay the help in kind, but one of the great things about asking for help is that people often do not expect repayment. People are generally kind and willing to help just because.

Another thing I have learned is that it is not selfish to take advantage of the opportunity for help, it is wise. We all need help sometimes, and that is OK.

Last week an opportunity presented itself which I couldn't stand to pass up without at least an attempt. The English department is doing a Study Abroad program this summer, and they're going to my favorite place on the planet: the British Isles. I've been to England once before and it was a life-changing experience. That trip was the foundation for the one thing I am absolutely sure I want out of life: my desire to live in England one day (Check out My Dream Board to see more). So, when I heard that there was an opportunity to return to the land of my dreams, I went out on a limb and asked for help.

I can't afford to travel out of the country right now. Money is tight, but I remembered my lessons in asking for help, so I gave it a shot. My efforts paid off...literally. When I asked if there was any help available for students who couldn't afford the costs, I was sent, well-equipped, to ask for help from the right people. I reached out and the kind people I encountered were able to help me fund the trip!

Thanks to my newfound ability to reach out and ask for help, I am now reliving the dream of traveling to England! Although this doesn't equate to a career, I am sure that this experience will help me to shape my future career interactions. "Ask and ye shall receive."