Check Yes or No...

I got home tonight after rehearsal and my roommate was watching the movie "Yes Man" on tv.  That took me back.  Honestly I have never sat down and watched the movie, but I did read the book (insert pretentious adjustment of my glasses).  When I read the book I was immediately inspired.  This book literally caused my to laugh out loud in my house by myself.  The book isn't a work of fiction, it is a memoir.  The author Danny Wallace actually spent about 3 months of his life only saying yes.  His story took him to far off places, wild nights, and reconnecting with old friends.  But more importantly, his take away was that he had reconnected with life.

I decided after reading it that I could pull it off for at least a month, surely.  It seemed simple, yet daunting at the same time.  This was a few years ago, and I only informed one person so they could keep me honest in my endeavor.  I made it just over a month, but in a way it never stopped.  Something happens to you when you just say yes to people.  I found myself going to concerts, spending time with people that I had never really had the desire to, helping random acquaintances move, all kinds of random things.  But more so, it felt good.  Even the really crappy things that weren't fun, in my head I was constantly saying "I would never had gained this experience before."  To this day, that month I spent saying yes changed me fundamentally.

I get asked quite a bit how I am so positive.  I rarely vent, or rant, or gripe.  I take life in stride and accept whatever it has to offer.  I think it was because I learned by saying Yes to life, I was saying Yes to contentment.  Am I always happy? No  But I am content with my life.  I do my best to see things from other people's needs and attend to my own.  I do say no again, because doing everything empties your wallet fairly quickly.  But, while I do say no occasionally to other's request, I have stopped saying no to my own requests.  When I think to myself, "Can I do this" "Do I deserve this" "Am I capable", the answer is now yes when it once was no.  So that would be my challenge, if you are brave enough, say yes for a month, it is a formative exercise that is enriching.  But if you don't want to say yes to everyone, at least say yes to yourself.  It will allow you to be happier, more productive, and makes life a lot more fun.