Ask Up

 Way back at the beginning of 2020, when we freely walked the streets and went to work with other people and sat in theatres with other people, I read a simple IG post from LaTonya Wilkins. 

Ask up. Ask up to five people. Ask up to five people at a higher level in your industry.

This was an excellent challenge for me, and a necessary challenge. I am an expert at leaving my career (and therefore my creativity) at a comfortable level. Which means things move along smoothly, with the occasional burst, usually brought about by some outside force.

Pre-pandemic, I asked up to two different people. Believe it or not (I know I present as confident and pulled together), both Asks took WEEKS and myriad conversations with my Self. In both cases, emails were finally sent and in both cases, extremely positive responses came, almost immediately. 

The third Ask came much later in the year. 

A little background: this PAHL (Person at a Higher Level) had been on my radar for years, as someone I knew I needed to meet. Circumstances never worked out. Finally, in this pandemic year, I was able to sign up for a seminar with this PAHL (Lesson #1 - Remote can be a positive). At the end of the seminar, which went extremely well, I was invited to reach out for a cup of coffee in the future.

Being me, I didn't believe this invitation to be real. "He's just being nice. Don't waste his time". Geez, my mother's voice is still in my head!

Still, I ignored that voice and reached out. Couldn't happen right then was the response. "See??? Don't waste his time!", screamed the voice.

Again, I chose to ignore the voice and utilize some patience. I would know the right time. 

So I waited. Two months, to be exact.  Until I actually had something of value to pass on, which ended up being -- 

Gratitude. Yup, authentic gratitude. I sent an email expressing my gratitude for the seminar. Because honestly, that seminar was a gamechanger, not so much in terms of business information, but in terms of creative information. That seminar taught me that I needed to open my heart in my work. I know that sounds ridiculous. How can you sing and now have your heart open? Sure, mine was open, but not as much as it could and should be. I had focused on getting the technical side of my craft in solid working order, and in the process, my heart got left behind. So that's what I've been playing with for the past three months. It's been a great pandemic project.

After expressing that authentic gratitude, I said I would love to have that virtual cup of coffee, assuming there would be no response.

Guess what? We're having the coffee this week.

To recap:

• Ask Up
• Open Your Heart
• Express Authentic Gratitude

If you're still reading, you'll notice I only mentioned three people. That's right, I never got to five. Looks like I already have a 2021 goal.

1/14/21 Update: The virtual coffee was delightful! We talked like friends, about life, a little bit about business. PAHL ended by saying, "This was such a pleasure, connecting as humans. Please, Heidi, let's chat again in the New Year." What a lesson I learned in the year of the pandemic.