We are all overwhelmed with so much that we often forget to say yes to some things that come our way that could really add value and joy to our life. We are faced with... will you take out the trash? Yes, will you go to the store? Yes. You get the picture. I am not talking about the daily tasks in life; I think we are often nervous to say yes to new things because we feel it is one more obligation on top of the mountains of obligations we already face. This is not the yes to more tasks we feel we must do out of obligation. This is where we need to make some adjustments in our mind, the yes I am speaking of is the yes to you, the yes to new experiences and adventures. There are plenty of reasons for No in that category but that is for a later article. I am also not sending you down the slippery slope that Jim Carrey took in Yes Man, when he said yes to everything and just about lost his mind. So, in no particular order here are 4 Ways that saying yes can add awesome things to your life.
1. New Experiences
Saying yes to an invitation to try something new can give us a vital new experience in life. If you have a friend or family member that does something you have never tried like salsa dancing or golf and they invite you say YES. It doesn't mean that this will become your new passion but you will have the opportunity to have a new experience. The new experience can add rich dimension and color to your life.
2. New Opportunities
Saying yes can put you smack in the middle of a new opportunity that you may have never connected with elsewhere. When you find yourself in a new environment, around new ideas and people you often come in to contact with an new opportunity. The opportunity could come in the form of a new job a new friend or a new skill learned. Maybe you went to play golf after saying YES and when you got there you began talking to someone that was looking for the expertise you had to offer. This type of thing happens all the time. Saying yes can help you be in the right place at the right time.
3. New People
Saying yes to a last minute request added some awesome to my life. I volunteer with a great Tech Organization in Los Angeles called GirlsInTech. They provide mentorship and outreach to girls to get them excited about careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.) One evening I got a last minute email asking if I was available to help at an event they were doing the following evening. Since I happened to have a free evening I said YES. When I was there, I met a great group of people, the event was at the Getty House which is the Los Angeles Mayors mansion. I also had the opportunity to meet the Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti. Do you see the power of YES now?
4. New Way of Seeing The World
Saying yes to a volunteer opportunity helped me see the homeless population in a very new and real way. There is an awesome organization called the Giving Spirit, a small group of people that wanted to make a difference by providing essential survival items to the population of the Los Angeles homeless. During the holiday season, my little sister, cousin and I decided to make a day of helping distribute these bags throughout pockets of Los Angeles. We saw tent communities, young people without family on the street, & smart educated hopeful people that were down on their luck. Yes, I have seen homeless people before but I had never seen them through the lense I did on that day. I saw our humanity in a deeper richer way. Saying yes gave me such an experience that I would have never gotten without it.
So, go out in the world, soak it in, eat it up. There is so much wonder out there, Say YES my friends because I can guarantee you, your life will never be the same if you do.
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