Give, give, give and ask (not take)

A few days ago I listened to this podcast with Gary Vaynerchuck and James Altucher. There are many gems packed into the hour-long segment: advice on entrepreneurship, goal setting and finding your passion. Gary encourages listeners to gear up for the long haul and keep sights focused on that seemingly distant finish line — where freedom, self worth, pride, and a life [well] enjoyed await. He says that most people give of themselves with expectation, giving in order to receive. That’s the wrong approach, he says, and encourages people that the process should be: give-give-give-ask.

Almost three years ago, I came to Nepal was a volunteer. First in a monastery and now at a learning center, I have lived alongside locals struggling to put children through school, build fires to cook, cope with natural disasters, and handle political strife. Yet they encounter personal hardships with grace and admirable resilience, and I want to tell their stories.

I have been selected to participate in the Artist in Residence program at Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild, and I will be traveling from Nepal to attend. The program lasts four weeks and “provides artists of exceptional talent with uninterrupted time and creative space to research and create new work.” I have been granted a partial fellowship and will be joined by 4 writers, 7 visual artists, 2 ceramicists and 1 musical composer.

My aim is to write a piece that is beautiful, compelling and describes both the injustices and strength I witness here in Nepal. To learn more about what I’ve done to support education and leadership locally, please visit Khata: Life and Learning House Nepal.

I’m asking now. I’d like to ask you to consider helping me participate by visiting this Generosity page. You can also share using this link: https://igg.me/at/G7dVeTfHb5o.

It’s not easy to ask. You’re putting yourself out there and your mind becomes filled with worries and doubt and insecurity. But when a community rallies behind you and supports you and your work, it opens up new experiences, creativity and joy — and opportunities you might never had expected. (For more on this topic, check out Amanda Palmer’s The Art of Asking.)

Thank you for your generosity and encouragement of my work.