A Curious Time in NYC
Last week, I spent three days in NYC. It’s one of my favorite places in the world, and I find each time I’m there I fall a little more in love with it.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve visited the city, but this trip was a little different. I got to play tour guide to two NYC newbies: my sister-in-law Shell and fourteen-year-old niece Olivia.
The trip was full of exploring the usual tourist suspects: 9/11 Memorial, Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and Central Park mixed with some of my personal favorites Grand Central Station, Broadway, and Madison Avenue. Of course, we didn’t go hungry either (don’t forget, I’m currently pregnant!). I made sure we had bagels, pie (pizza), dinner in Little Italy, Shake Shack, and ice cream. I also had to make sure Shell and Olivia had the BEST macaron for their first time at Ladurée. Love ice cream?! Check out Emack & Bolio’s next time you’re in NYC. Thanks, Kimmy! xo
Beyond all the tourist attractions, it was nice to spend quality time with my Shell and Olivia. With all the walking around we did, we had plenty of time to talk. On the second morning of the trip, while getting ready, the conversation turned to baby names. Y’all, it’s a GIRL!
I told Shell about talking to her Grandma Delores, the only living grandparent between my husband and I, and asking her questions about her name, her middle name, and her mother’s names. I want a meaningful moniker for Li’l Miss!
As we were chatting about Grandma’s likes and dislikes (her mother hated her given name, Blanche), I broke the conversation to provide this statement to Olivia:
“If you learn one thing from your Aunt KiKi, please learn the importance of asking questions.” Aunt KiKi is their name for me.
I went on to explain how asking seemingly simple questions can provide a foundation of knowledge you’ll be thankful for later.
For me, asking family members questions about how they grew up, our heritage, the generations I was never to meet, etc. is fascinating. I love it. It doesn’t stop with my personal life; this skill transcends to business, too. Asking questions is a key component to success.
If you don’t understand something, ask.
If you’re confused by something, ask.
If you have unclear expectations, ask.
If you need help, ask.
If you want to learn a new way to do something, ask.
If you desire to understand another person’s viewpoint, ask.
If you have no clue what obstacles are preventing someone from buying, ask.
No matter what you’re trying to learn, discover, uncover, or gather, the best tool you have is asking questions.
Curiosity (in the form of questions) did not kill the cat. Unless they asked why a million times, then maybe so. Embrace being a curious being, both personally and professionally. It will serve you well…so well you may just be the person who knows so much that others begin asking you all the questions. #wealthofknowledge
About the Author
Hi! I’m Stephanie Melish, the Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. I spent years working around the clock to make someone else’s dream a reality—that is, until I decided to take the scary and exciting leap into a dream of my own. Now I’m living the reality I want, and that means I get to spend every day helping my clients to achieve success, however they define it.
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About Stephanie
Hi! I’m Stephanie Melish, the Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. I spent years working around the clock to make someone else’s dream a reality—that is, until I decided to take the scary and exciting leap into a dream of my own. Now I’m living the reality I want, and that means I get to spend every day helping my clients to achieve success, however they define it.
