Yes. One simple, little word that could change the trajectory of your entire life. One simple, little word that could change you for the better. It’s one of the most basic and shortest words in the English dictionary, yet often it requires the most thought. These three letters can lead to a thousand opportunities — all you have to do is know when and where to say it. Life’s full of decisions; there’s so many chances to succeed and fail, but we can’t let the chance of failure stop us.
Oftentimes, saying “yes” and taking that leap of faith can be as scary as telling your mom you failed your 6th-grade science test. Saying “no” stems from fear. The good news is we can learn to control what scares us and find comfort in our fears. Oftentimes, we downplay our curiosity, masking the bigger plan potentially in store for us. When we reject the opportunity, we don’t just miss out on the fun we could have possibly had, but more so what we could have learned. Living each day means learning each day. For us to learn, we have to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations.
See fear as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Char Newell, Forbes Council Member
Adapting your mindset to adapt to your situation allows for miles of growth; it’s the most efficient way to learn. As humans, we tend to stick to what’s familiar to us, so saying yes to new challenges and opportunities isn’t exactly in our blood. On the other hand, those challenges can lead us to break out of our comfort zones and excel in something we would have never taken the chance on. Change is the only constant in life. Thankfully, we have the ability to change any aspect of life we so choose.
When we look back on our good ol’ days, we notice that the happiest times of our lives were built from yes moments. When we get our ass handed to us, we start to think about all our regrets: our “no” moments. Turning saying no into a habit can leave you in the same routine that leaves you living each day over and over again — I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not relive 2020. You’re in charge of your life, build it how you want to remember it.
While it’s important to keep a healthy balance of saying yes to the right things — hopefully, this includes your I do’s at your wedding — for your own sake, knowing when to take that leap of faith is part of the battle. Now I’m not telling you to go to the party down the street knowing you have an exam tomorrow, but take a step back and remember life is supposed to be lived. Balancing school, work and a social life can be tough, but with a little time management and self-discipline, you’ll be on your way to living in the good ol’ days.