“I will say yes to every favour, request,
suggestion and invitation. I will swear
to say yes where once I would say no.”
– Danny Wallace
“No!” is a wonderful word.
It’s powerful, it’s universally understood, and it stops
everything in its tracks. By saying no, you’re instantly
slamming the door and holding it shut, ensuring nothing else
gets through.
But how many of us say “No!” way too often?
You see, “No” really holds us back in life. It closes us off to
many of life’s wonderful experiences, and causes us to resist
what happens around us.
When we say no, we’re swimming against the current. When
we say yes, we’re swimming with the current.
Which do you think is easiest? Which produces less stress?
Which is faster, and more enjoyable?
We say “NO!” to life’s funny randomness, when a passing bus
splashes rainwater all over our new jeans. We shout “NO!” to
our emotions, resisting and fighting grief, when our pet rat
passes away. We yell “NO!” when we don’t get that
promotion, which we’d been working so hard to achieve.
Long story short: we say NO to everything, too often.
We fight against what happens to us in life, rather than
allowing it to be as it is. We resist it, rather than accepting it.
We say “No!” rather than saying “Yes” – or even just “Okay.”
By saying “Yes!” more to life, we go with the flow. Things
become more enjoyable and positive, less stressful and
anxious, and often the situation turns out for the better
regardless.
So, SAY YES MORE.
And what about saying “Yes!” more socially too? Say “Yes!”
when you’re invited to that party. Say “Yes!” when you’re
asked if you’d like lunch with the boys. Say “Yes!” when
you’ve asked to go on that speed dating night, which you
wouldn’t normally even consider.
(That’s what Danny Wallace did in his great comedy cum
self-help book “Yes Man.” He said yes more. It changed his
life.)
So, if you’d like to flow more with the current of life... If
you’d like to inject a little more excitement into your day... If
you’d like to enjoy the random twist and turns of fate...
Then SAY YES MORE.
The Australians call it a “bias for yes.” The Spanish say “Si a
todo.” Buddhists describe it as flowing with the river of life.
Try it out, even if just for a week. It’ll change your world.
THE 18 RULES of HAPPINESS, Karl Moore
