"I Wonder If"

Something happened to me on the way to my life: I found out I could push back.

It was subtle enough.   I was listing a few things on Craigslist for sale.  I looked at the price I had posted on it last time, said "I wonder if", and hiked the price 20%.  It sold.  I did the same thing with the beloved Protege that we are selling.  Even with its age and some issues I looked at what I originally was going post, said "I wonder if", and doubled the price.  I received three interested offers; I am sure one of these will buy. 

This is atypical behavior for me - usually I approaching things from the point of view of what I think someone is likely to pay - based not on any outside information but rather my own internal voice telling me "It's not that good - and after all, you don't want to be that confrontational."  But this time I took a chance - a small one to be sure, and one which was not unrecoverable from if it failed.  But still a chance.

And it worked.  I cannot tell you the level of confidence I felt after I got those e-mails and had that cash in hand.  Suddenly I started looking around thinking "What else can I post and how much can I get?"

I dwell in reality of course - real estate taught me that something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay.  But the connection I never made before it is always not best to determine in your own mind what someone else is willing to pay. 

But in the larger scope of things, what a subtle change.  I moved from a position of helplessness and dependence - "What will they give me?  What if they don't like me if I ask too much?" - to a position of strength  - "Let me ask.  There is no harm in asking."

"I wonder if".  What a powerful statement.

What a statement to apply to the rest of my life.