Mary knew she couldn’t have access to “The Secret Garden” without help from her uncle, so despite her fear she ASKED:

“Might I,” quavered Mary, “might I have a bit of earth?”

In her eagerness she did not realize how queer the words would sound and that they were not the ones she had meant to say. Mr. Craven looked quite startled.

“Earth!” he repeated. “What do you mean?”

“To plant seeds in—to make things grow—to see them come alive,” Mary faltered.

“You can have as much earth as you want,” he said. “You remind me of some one else who loved the earth and things that grow. When you see a bit of earth you want,” with something like a smile, “take it, child, and make it come alive.”

“May I take it from anywhere—if it’s not wanted?”

“Anywhere,” he answered.”

Continued from last week’s blog: ASKING FOR WHAT YOU WANT: After the Tree is Gone

ASSUME IT IS POSSIBLE

“ANYWHERE.”

I just love her fearlessness in this famous scene from The Secret Garden. But Mary, as brave as she was stopped short and asked small for just “a bit of earth”, when what she really wanted was access to the secret garden.

Luckily, he didn’t just give her a “bit” of earth, but gave her “as much earth” as she wanted…from “anywhere.”

Do you make this same mistake in your own life?

I ASK SMALL or even FAIL TO ASK more often that I would like to admit. Before I even open my mouth, I begin rationalizing why the person will say no, probably won’t have the time to help, and so on.

Too many times in life, we apply a filter to our dreams and assume our requests are:

• Too expensive…
• Too much work…
• Would take too much time…
• Not practical…
• Would be a burden on others…

or even worse…we assume that WE are not worth it.

(UGH…did your heart just sink a little like mine?)

What if this year we decided that we

ARE worth the TIME, EFFORT, or MONEY

and finally ASKED for what we really want in life?

Let’s put fear aside and ASK for our hearts desire TOGETHER this year.  But where do we even start?

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”  Well Ben…I think you might be on to something.

ASKING: PLAN ON IT

I’m planning on an EXTRAordinary year, and have been thinking quite a bit about my own wants and needs. In my full plate past, I typically put ME on the back-burner while making sure my kids, husband, and community came first.  But this year, I….Me…Keri Wilt, a mother, writer, wife, friend, employer, creator, gardener and so much more… will be going GOING BOLDLY with NO FEAR into the year asking for help (your’s too) in getting what I want and need to live a life in FULL BLOOM.

Because, what is the worst case scenario? They say no, right? But it could be even worse than just a no. What if we don’t ask at all…and later find out that if we had just mustered up the courage…they would have said a Great, BIG, Amazing, Life-Changing YES?

Are you willing to risk hearing NO in order to find your YES?

I AM..so let’s make plans together TO ACTUALLY ASK for what we need to live our best life.

ACTION PLAN: HOW TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT(what you really really want)

1. MAKE A LIST of everything what you WANT OR NEED to live a life in FULL BLOOM.
   1. More time off, date nights, a raise, a more challenging job, a place in your home to paint/create, time all to yourself, a more reliable car, sleep, a garden, more friends, to learn yoga, if you want or need it….list it.
   2. Dream BIG with this list…and then dream even BIGGER! (Ephesians 3:20)
   3. NOTE: Leave some room on your paper in between each item for steps 2 and 3.
2. NOTE WHO CAN HELP YOU & THEIR TALENTS 
   1.  We are surrounded by talented and giving people each day. Identify them and their gifts and write down specifically what you will ASK of them by each item.
      1. My Friend Julie: Landscape Designer….Ask her to design my garden?
      2. Uncle Joe is handy: Ask him to convert my closet into a place to paint?
      3. My Boss: Ask her for help navigating internally to get my ultimate dream job.
   2. NOTE: You may have multiple people you need to ask on the same item…so list them all!
3. THEN MAKE A PLAN to ask for what you need.
   1. Write down where you will ask them and by when.
   2. Before you go to actually ask, remind yourself how GOOD it feels when you help others.
      1. That way, when you feel like backing down, you can remember that it is a GIFT to GIVE. Don’t deny others their chance to give to you and feel that same GOODNESS you felt in giving. Let them help you life a life in FULL BLOOM!
      2. And, in case you are wondering…You ARE Worth it. They know that, and it’s about time you start believing it too.
   3. So ASK ALREADY….and then track it monthly and reward yourself!

Are you willing to risk hearing NO in order to find your YES? Then ask already!

Believing we are all worth the risk,

FHB and Especially Me

My BIG Ask: Well, clearly I can’t challenge you to ASK ALREADY without going for it myself. Here we go…I need your help.(yes you!) Here is the deal: I would love for MORE people to know about FHB and Me and read these blogs. It’s my heart to tell my stories (and hers) in hopes that it will help us all to lives in full bloom. If you are enjoying them, please consider sharing them with your friends and family. When you read something I post, please take a minute to like it, love it or share it.(see top left of this and every blog page to make this super easy)

Or if you haven’t yet, sign up to receive our blog weekly via email so you don’t miss a thing. Click on the link below and enter your email address, and/or copy the link and send it to your friends so they can sign up too!

http://fhbandme.com/#newsletter
Every bit helps! Thank you thank you thank you!

PS…omgoodness asking is so hard, but I did it!