I have always been a rather optimistic person. More times than not, I see the glass half full instead of half empty. But, being a generally positive person does not mean that following one’s goals, dreams, or ideas always come easily. Like most of us, the little critic in my head kept me planted solidly – literally holding on for dear life — in my comfort zone far too many times. I could always find a reason to believe that something would not succeed because of this, that, or the other. It didn’t matter. What I’ve come to know for sure is that I was afraid to say YES!
Why? Because saying YES made me feel vulnerable. It put me in the spot where I had to put up or shut up! The year 2014 was the year I vowed to say YES. I did one of the things I’d always wanted to do, which was to start a business. One was to start a business. Starting and maintaining a business has been one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. It has allowed me to meet new people, expand my knowledge base, travel, and work with delightful clients that help me in ways they’d never imagine. Today, I am a woman filled with joy, hope, and new-found courage because I said YES.
Decide to Face Your Challenges
No matter what you’re going through, decide that 2023 will be the year that you face your challenges head-on. If you’ve gone through a divorce, you might decide that it’s time to start dating again. If someone special to you died last year, this might be the year for you to say, “I’m ready to move forward in my grief.” For parents who are drenched in sadness, hurt, and disappointment, because their adult children are not living up to their expectations, 2023 could be the year you explore how to live a better life in spite of your troubled children. All of these situations require that a decision be made. It is my thought that the first decision is for you to say YES to yourself and to say YES to life.
Benefits of saying YES to life
Does saying YES mean that all your troubles will magically disappear at your decision? That would be nice, but it’s unrealistic. But, what I do know is that saying YES can bring you unexpected benefits. In her book, Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes talks about how saying yes for an entire year transformed her life. Here are three benefits you might expect when you say YES to moving forward in 2023.
- Solutions will manifest – I found that once I made a decision about an issue, solutions to the problem became clearer. Almost as if the negativity and fear that kept me stagnant blocked my view of what was possible.
- Your courage will strengthen – If you’ve ever engaged in strength training, you know that the more you work on a particular muscle, the stronger it gets. I liken courage to strength training. The more times you make uncomfortable decisions, the stronger your courage becomes. When you say YES, you’re saying that you believe you can handle whatever comes your way – both negative and positive. It is in these experiences that growth happens and courage strengthens.
- Peace will be upon you – Peace will overtake you when you intentionally participate in life. It’s gratifying knowing that something happened because you made a decision and actively participated in the outcome.
It is my hope that 2023 turns out to be a great year for you. Make this YOUR year of YES!