“As I say yes to life, life says yes to me!” Louise Hay

I love this quote but what does it mean exactly? I’m sure it can have many interpretations, however I like to think of it as reminding us that we always have the opportunity to say yes and open our lives to ever new, tantalising opportunities and possibilities.
As we get older we tend to stay in our old routines and general comfort zones more and more, sticking to what we know and getting the results we expect. We are in effect playing it very safe indeed.

When was the last time that someone invited you to do something new and on an impulse you accepted?

There is a film starring Jim Carey, called Yes Man, where he enters a programme where he has to say yes to everything that is asked of him and this takes his life off on a very wild and exciting tangent. An extreme example you could say, however it’s a very good illustration of the changes that will automatically occur in our lives once we start saying yes more. As we begin to open up our world, so we will begin to feel more inspired and expansive, fresh experiences appear and life starts to offer more and more opportunities.

Hard to believe?

Being creatures of habit we can easily slip into the same old routines, wanting just to coast along in the knowledge that we know how most of our days are going to turn out. Is this living I ask you? I believe that we need to challenge ourselves and to start by observing our day to day habits. Are they making us happy ? Do we feel fulfilled? The only person that can make a change, if the answer to these questions is no, is us. One of the simplest of ways to start expanding our horizons is to be on the lookout for new ways to spend our free time. Try new things, explore the possibilities of having more fun and delight, the resulting feelings of well being will amaze you and it doesn’t take much of a change to feel universally more positive and uplifted.

When it comes to opening up your world ‘Yes’ is expansive whilst ‘No’ is constrictive. Saying yes is like flexing a muscle, with practice you just get better and better at it…

Next time you are asked to do something new, go somewhere new or meet someone new remember to say yes and observe how this simple word impacts your life. It is the spirit of curiosity that drives us forward, while richly rewarding us with new experiences, feelings of adventure and a newfound sense of freedom that stir us to our very soul. Go on I dare you!