How many times do we say NO out of fear? Out of apathy? Imagine all the possible good things that can happen to us if we changed that to YES!
I once had the opportunity to go away for the weekend and meet up with family at a holiday home none of us had been to before.
My niece and her husband were off to a wedding and my brother and sister-in-law were going with them to baby sit their granddaughter. They asked me along so we could catch up and spend time together.
I could have said ‘no’, and I did actually have other plans prior, but I decided the opportunity to have a change of scenery in a part of the country I hadn’t been to before, so I changed my previous plans and said ‘YES’!
OMG I was so happy I said that 3-letter word! I was gob-smacked when I arrived. We were staying in a gorgeous modern, 2-storey house, on a resort golf course with a small lake out the front! Wow, what an opportunity. Needless to say we all thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and didn’t want to leave.
This experience reinforced to me the power of saying YES – yes to opportunities, yes to adventure, yes to experience, yes to LIFE.
So, here are 10 reasons to say YES!
1. We get to visit and stay in amazing places…
I remember my first big trip overseas by myself. It was in 1995, I was 31, and not long separated from my husband of 10 years. I had never had a travelling bone in my body but suddenly found myself at the travel agent and before long I’d booked 3 months away doing 3 Contiki Tours around Europe, Britain, Southern Ireland, and Egypt!
I still remember vividly to this day, over 25 years on, some of the beautiful places we stayed and visited. And of course the incredible scenery and cultures I got to experience!
I was, without a lie, absolutely totally petrified to be going half-way around the world for the first time by myself. But that experience changed my life and gave me a new passion – travel!
2. We have amazing experiences that can stay with us forever, that can change our perceptions, our lives…
My 7-week trip to Vietnam and Cambodia in 2010 did that. It opened my eyes to how people in developing countries live, and in turn opened my heart to something much bigger.
3. We get to meet new people. In turn these people can become lifelong friends or turn into new business associates or opportunities…
Saying YES to doing an online website course in 2012, even though at that time I didn't have a business to create a website for, opened a whole new world for me – literally! Not only did I connect with people all over the world, through the website I created on that course, but I’m now making websites for a living and meeting amazing, interesting people that turn from clients into friends.
4. We get out of our comfort zones, which means we stretch and grow…
Having the opportunity to live in Bali for 5 months – twice (2011 & 2013), had me so far out of my comfort zone on a daily basis that now I feel quite at home there and don’t blink an eye going back. So much so that I consider it my second home and can’t wait to get back!
5. You get to have unexpected FUN!
Whether it be having your haircut at a back street barber in a foreign country that actually does a better job than your expensive hairdresser at home, ending up at a concert with free tickets and having fun with complete strangers, or going for a ride in a fancy car that your friend has hired for work – anything is possible, and it’s fun!!
6. New opportunities present themselves that can open your world in ways you just can’t dream about…
One of the women I did my Bowen therapy training with decided to go to the International Bowen Conference in Geelong (Melbourne), just as we were finishing our training…she sowed the seed that had me attending too. It changed my life and started me on a whole new incredible journey helping others through my holistic body therapies.
7. You create precious memories…
Fun times with loved ones, romantic times with someone special, remembering those amazing feelings at the top of a mountain, or at the bottom of the sea. Memories that stay with you forever and help you smile when life throws a curve ball your way.
8. You have the opportunity to feel fulfilled on a deep level that you otherwise wouldn’t have…
When I first embarked on my journey into body work, I had no idea how much of an impact that would have on my inner fulfilment. To help people relax and feel better, to be pain free, was so rewarding. I knew I was making a difference and it feels good.
That also led to hosting weekend women’s retreats. It always amazed me how a group of women would come together, with no prior knowledge of each other and end up having a magical weekend, making new friends and leave feeling totally restored and ready to face life again. It was amazing and so fulfilling and special for me.
9. Learn something new…
I remember when I signed up for the Bowen therapy training. I had no idea what Bowen was. I had had no prior interest in bodywork. I said YES to doing the 12-month training to learn something new and be with like-minded people. But wow, did that decision change my life and my direction!
10. Saying YES can spark a new passion you never knew existed in you…
Everything I’ve mentioned so far – these are now passions of mine, that 25 years ago just didn’t exist!
Has my life changed for the better because I said YES to these opportunities as they came along? Hell YES!
Even though parts have been hugely challenging and I felt like giving up, the rewards that have come from these experiences are priceless and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The experiences I’ve had, the awesome people I’ve met, the HUGE personal growth I’ve experienced – it’s actually pretty damn phenomenal.
Just by saying YES!
I hope this has inspired you to say YES more often…if you do, your life will be so much richer for the experience...I promise.
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