Asking for a raise is scary. As an employee, you’re used to doing things all day, every day, that serves your employer. While your job might be fulfilling, it doesn’t exist for the function of making you better. Again, a job very well might do that, but that’s not its primary function. It can feel unnatural to directly ask for something that benefits you solely, but it’s essential. It’s not only essential because you need more money as inflation goes up but because you will probably get less than you want if you don’t ask. If you’re a people pleaser, it can feel like you might get in trouble for asking for more money, but that doesn’t happen 99.99% of the time. Negotiating your salary is a perfectly normal aspect of being a salaried employee, and if you know how to do it well, it will benefit you for your entire career.