Did you ever notice that your first inclination when being asked to do something is a resounding no? It does not matter if it is a social invitation, taking on some added responsibility at work or even trying something new on your path to wellness. After almost saying no to a life-changing trip, I decided to think about how saying yes would impact my life. Think about it, where does saying no get you? You look at social media and feel like you have missed out on something by staying home in your pjs instead of going out for drinks with friends. You may miss out on a promotion by choosing to say no to something that could improve your skill set. For one month, I decided to say yes to every opportunity or suggestion that came my way, within reason. Here are four things that I learned over the month of yes:
Saying yes is more fun than saying no:
In one month, I saw three concerts, a play, went for dinner more times than I can count, caught up with some friends that I had not been able to see for quite a while, saw parts of the city that I normally would never go to and just truly enjoyed my time.
Saying yes can be expensive:
When you say yes, it can get expensive. Remember that when you are short on cash, you can still say yes, but suggest things that are less costly. If a friend insists on seeing you, ask if you can go for a walk and a coffee in a trendy part of your city. Go window shopping or try on fun, expensive clothes, but leave them on the rack. Enjoy a free evening at a museum as an outing. There are many ways that you can stay true to your goal and still be financially responsible.
Saying yes can sometimes be just saying yes to you:
There may be a day during this experiment where you have a free day, so why not just say yes to you and whatever you feel like doing? It may be staying in bed all day and binge watching your favourite show. It may be finally cleaning out your closet. It can be anything you feel like, entirely on your own schedule.
Saying yes to wellness:
Sometimes saying yes can also benefit your overall wellness. My cousin asked me to go to a two-hour Zumba class with her. It was fun, but it was also nice to get some extra cardio in. Another friend of mine told me that taking a daily probiotic supplement made her feel better and that I should think about it too. Since this is the month of yes, I figured I’d give it a try. I did some research and decided on koena’s Woman Daily Supplement. It is specially formulated to help promote a favorable gut flora. Since I like a challenge, I decided to take it for 30 days.
Saying yes for 30 days helped me feel better and more connected to my friends and family. It made me feel more positive and I was able to try a few things outside of my comfort zone.
Have you ever tried saying yes to everything, and if so, what did you learn about yourself?
*In partnership with koena.
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