How to “Just Ask!” and Just Share?
We all have things we struggle with or sides to ourselves that we resist and wish to be different.
Besides our fears, there are also physical challenges too.
More and more people have food intolerances and allergies. Or it could be something else entirely, with reactions or symptoms that aren’t typical of either yourself or others.
But, you can learn not only to accept them, but to embrace them without judgment and even find sense in them, as well as learn how to treat yourself kindly, honestly, and helpfully.
Somewhere around the time I decided Gameful Healing would be (mostly or at least partially) a memoir, I watched an interview that Sonia Sotomayor gave to Trevor Noah on The Daily Show, about her life as a Supreme Court Justice in the USA, her story with diabetes, and her new book for children Just Ask!.
Here is a quote from the book’s description:
“In Just Ask, United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor celebrates the different abilities kids (and people of all ages) have”.
Her story with diabetes and the idea behind the book inspired me, so I immediately bought it for my children and also us parents. I have read the book many times with my children. It is beautiful and empowering. Yes, this book truly celebrates the different abilities of humans, which had been considered as disabilities in the past, but fortunately nowadays are seen as integral parts of humanity.
Here is one of my favorite bits in the book:
Just like in our garden, all the ways we are different make our neighborhood — our whole world really — more interesting and fun. And just like all of these plants, each of us has unique powers to share with the world and make it more interesting and richer.
— Sonia Sotomayor, Just Ask!
After watching Sonia Sotomayor’s interview with Trevor Noah, and reading the book, I realized that we all need to share our experiences with others, regardless of whether they are going through the same thing or not.
So if, like me, you have certain challenges, especially if these are not visible to others, and they only become apparent in specific situations, then share your story with people. You never know how you might inspire others.
Practicing talking about your challenges will assist you in asking for help, which is critical in mastering them. Today I realized that when I tell people about my challenges and how I cope with them, I am sometimes indirectly asking for help. Then sometimes, in the middle of the telling, the listener has a great idea. Or I might even get the courage to ask directly for advice and help.
I fully understand that such sharing might be scary. Who knows what we might get in response, right? It might be a rejection, or some “crazy” or misplaced advice that we might feel obliged to follow. But if you observe yourself, the world around you, and your thought processes non-judgmentally, as well as permit yourself to process the information you get one little step at a time, and take on everything without losing your sense of humor, you will be able to maintain both kindness, honesty, and helpfulness toward yourself and those around you.
I’d like to finish by posing the same question Sonia Sotomayor does in her book, just after the quote above,
What will you do with your powers?
— Sonia Sotomayor, Just Ask!
The text above is an excerpt from my book Gameful Healing: Almost a Memoir; Not Quite a Parable (Gameful Life Book 2). I hope you enjoyed it, and it inspired you to read empowering books and maybe also share your story.
Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
Written by Sonia Sotomayor and illustrated by Rafael López
Published by Penguin Random House