I’ve always been certain about who I am and what I want out of life. I’ve never thought that I was missing out on living in any way until I met this guy I had a fling with. He challenged me to try new things. It started as a game in which I wasn’t allowed to say no to anything he suggested. But the game got me thinking: what if I adopted this philosophy of saying yes to more things in life? Needless to say, my life changed for the better!
- I have more hobbies. There are certain things such as pole fitness, mud racing, or even attending a burlesque show that I would instantly say no to. Such things just weren’t for me. In fact, they would never even cross my mind. Fast forward a couple of months and I’m in love with pole fitness. I never got into mud racing but I did try it once, and burlesque shows are now a fun thing I attend with my girls once a month.
- I started a ‘Yes’ list. Similar to a bucket list, I created a list of all the things I said no to and the things that I thought I would never do in a million years. Of course, I left off any morally compromising things. Then I started working my way through the list. The journey has been terrifying at times, but I’m having the best time. Now every time I get asked to do something that I might feel scared of or that isn’t my style, I write it on the list and work my way towards getting it done in the future.
- I became less anxious. I used to feel like I needed a certain level of control over things that happened in my life. However, say yes to trying new things even if I had not taken the time to research them, made me feel less anxious. I stopped feeling as if everything had to be done a certain way. It made me feel freer and more at ease with going with the flow.
- I’m more spontaneous. I was that type of girl who would plan days out with my friends to the finest detail and wasn’t open to deviating from the plan. By saying yes to my friends’ suggestions, I’ve become more spontaneous and open to plans evolving on nights or days out, and I’m having more fun as a result. It’s no surprise that my friends find me more relaxed and fun to be around.
- I made more friends. In saying yes to trying new things, I’ve met more people and different characters than I would have usually. This has, in turn, widened my friendship circle, made my life richer, and I have more people to enjoy it with.
- Life seems full of possibilities. I never realized how stuck I was in life. I had this plan of how things were supposed to unfold, and until they did, I was stuck running around the hamster wheel waiting for things to happen. When I started saying yes to other things even if they weren’t related to my life plan, I started seeing more possibilities to what my life could be, and it made the future more exciting for me.
- I am less judgmental. In the past, I would say no to things and people because I had preconceived notions about them. When I started hanging out with people I usually wouldn’t hang out with and trying different things, I realized how much I had assumed and was missing out on. Now I try not to judge people until I have heard their story and understood where they’re coming from.
- I’m braver. I realized that a lot of the things I would say no to were not only out of preference but also out of fear of the unknown. In working my way through the ‘yes list,’ I’ve been able to conquer a lot of fear and I feel more daring to try new things.
- I’m not afraid to ask for help. Before, I used to see it as a weakness if I had to ask someone to help me with something at work or in my personal life. I would only ask for help after trying every solution I could come up with on my own. In not being afraid to say yes to people when they offered help or when I needed help, I’ve found that I get things done much quicker, I have learned new ways of doing things and I feel more supported because I don’t have to figure everything out on my own.
