Say Yes

Say YES!

Margaret was stuck in a rut, afraid to say “yes” to her best life.  She was an elementary school teacher. She loved her students, but she didn’t find her job fulfilling any longer. As a teenager, she’d always dreamed of traveling around the world and writing novels on her laptop.

woman sitting at a computer with a notebook on the desk
Learning how to say yes to your dreams

She wanted more freedom in her personal and professional life, but she worried. Margaret was afraid of what would happen if she really did start chasing her dreams. She doubted she had the ability to make her dream a reality and she wondered what everyone around her would think if she quit her job and wrote instead.

Yes, Margaret was stuck in a rut, afraid to say “yes” to her best life. Maybe you can relate. Perhaps you’ve spent years daydreaming about what you want your life to look like. Instead, you tucked your dream away quietly and got back to your ordinary world.

But before you do that, here are three simple reasons you should lean into your yes…

Reason #1 : New Discoveries Are Waiting

Everything you love right now was once an unknown. Your favorite ice cream flavor, your favorite movie, your favorite makeup—all of these things were once unknown to you. But you didn’t let that stop you and tried them anyway.

When you say yes to new discoveries, you learn more about what you like and love. You took a chance and made a bold decision. This doesn’t mean you’ll love the results of every yes you go after. Sometimes, you’ll simply discover what you don’t like. That’s okay too.

Reason #2 : Personal Growth Doesn’t Happen in Your Comfort Zone

For some people, saying ‘no’ is an automatic response. Is this you? Do you say ‘no’ to that new project even though you know it could lead to a promotion? Or maybe you say ‘no’ to healthy foods even though you know it could lead to more energy?

Real personal growth never happens inside your comfort zone. If you really want to make a difference and change your life, then you have to be willing to do things you’ve never done before. You have to be willing to say yes even when the future feels scary and uncertain.

Reason #3: Learning New Things

Besides growing into your best self, saying yes helps you learn new things. You might say yes to the chance to host a party and discover you love being a hostess. You could say yes to a giving a presentation at work and find out you love public speaking.

image with text
Say Yes to New Limits

What you learn won’t be just limited to your personality though. You’ll also learn more about your relationships, your finances, your health, and so many other areas of your life. Maybe a new dance class makes you realize how supportive your partner is. An unexpected road trip with an aging parent can give insight into how your mom grew up.

Saying yes can be the beginning of a beautiful new adventure. But don’t feel you have to start out by tackling something big like changing your job or moving to a different country. Instead, start with something small like taking a new class or reaching out to form new friendships. The more you say yes to little things the easier it will become to say yes to the big things.

What will you say yes to in the coming year?  How can I help and support you?

Fran Watson

P.S. Here are 8 Personal Growth Strategies to Take Your Life to the Next Level

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top