Say Yes!
I hope that you’re having a phenomenal June!
Here’s a thought to make it even better: Learn to say YES! In
2008, Jim Carrey starred in a movie called Yes Man, and I’ve grown to
love the idea behind it. His character makes a covenant to stop being a
“No Man” and vows to answer “Yes!” to every opportunity, request or
invitation that presents itself.
Although it’s impossible to say yes to everything, you could almost
certainly say yes to more than you do. Listen to yourself. When someone
invites you to do something they love – and that you’ve never tried –
what do you say? Do you take the chance and try it? Or do you politely
decline because you’re too busy or because it’s not something that you
think you’re interested in?
Learning and living are the same. When you stop learning, you start to
die a little every day. Scientific evidence confirms that brain cells can
re-grow at any age if you give them some exercise. Your brain is a case
of “use it or lose it.” So try it. Say yes to something you normally
would turn down. Try different food, different music, going to a movie
you’d normally avoid. Try behaving differently. If you’re usually shy,
try making the first move to speak to someone interesting. If you’re
extroverted, try standing back quietly and watching others take the
limelight.
Whatever happens, you’ll learn something. You may even discover something
unexpectedly good. It doesn’t need to be dramatic. What matters is that
you open yourself to more of what life has to offer instead of hanging
back and staying with what you already know.
Something to Think About
Many people go through life convinced that there is only one path open to
them. That makes it true, because they never try anything else. But the
world is a huge, glorious experiment, not a set of rules to be followed
or boxes to be checked. How much you’re willing to join in that
experiment is up to you. The closer you stick to the same script, the
less you discover what might be even better. What holds most people back
is fear of losing what they already have, however imperfect it might be.
Just remember that you’re in control of the experiment. You can try a
little change as easily as a huge one. And if it doesn’t work, you can
always go back and try again. Saying no is the real risk, because it
closes the door forever on anything different.
Weekly Challenge
I would like for you to consciously work on saying yes instead of no for
a week. I was amazed at the opportunities that presented themselves when
I did this. Please share any success stories that occur as a result; I’d
love to hear them!
Words of Wisdom
“Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.” – John
C. Maxwell
“To my young friends out there: Life can be great, but not when you can’t
see it. So, open your eyes to life: to see it in the vivid colors that God
gave us as a precious gift to His children, to enjoy life to the fullest,
and to make it count. Say yes to your life.” – Nancy Reagan
“Just keep taking chances and having fun.” – Garth Brooks
“I believe in taking chances and living your life. Sometimes doors open
and others close, and you have to figure out which one you’re going to
take. I’m always for the one that’s challenging.” – Gisele Bundchen
“What is outrageous is not what you ask for. What is outrageous is what
you settle for.” – Alan Cohen.
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