There’s Power In Communicating What You Want
Lessons in Communication from My One Year Old
Since learning the baby sign for “milk” we have added to our sign language communication with my daughter. She knows some simple signs for things she wants. She can sign “drink”, “banana”, “more”, “bath”, “play”, etc.. After months of “guess work”, mother’s intuition, and desperately trying to decipher cries, it is so cool to have this language between us. It is mutually empowering for me as a parent to actually know what she wants, for her to share what she wants, and to have me respond.
The Aladdin Factor is a principle described in Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen’s book. It revolves around the principle that you can not receive unless you ask. As adults, there are several things that get in the way of asking for what we want. Sometimes people are out of touch with their own needs and simply don’t know what they want. Other times, negative beliefs, or fears of rejection get in the way of asking for something. Additionally pride can keep people from asking for help.
I think of adult relationships full of subtleties, nuances, bribery, manipulation, and all the indirect ways we ask for what we want. What happened to the simple, direct way of simply saying, “I want milk?” How would you rate your own ability to ask for what you want? What fears get in the way of asking for what you want? Are there certain relationships where you are more inhibited or more empowered to ask for what you want?
I’ll start with being direct. I am working on building my clientele and community presence as a family and marriage therapist. Please mention my name when you know someone who would benefit from therapy. Thank you.