After listening to so many people, I’ve realized most of us struggle to ask for what we want. Instead of asking, we overthink it. We play out every worst-case scenario until we talk ourselves out of even trying. But most of the time, the truth isn’t as bad as we make it out to be. Sometimes people actually say yes. Or they simply say, “I didn’t know you felt that way.” Asking doesn’t guarantee you’ll get what you want, but it opens the door. It helps you speak clearly about what you need instead of holding it in. It also reduces resentment, because what stays unspoken tends to build tension. The truth is, asking doesn’t mean you’ll get it. But asking does position you to start receiving.