Many years ago, during high school, a friend of mine told me about "yes days." Several times a year, he would complete a yes day. During these days, any yes or no question that was directed at him, he would say yes. At first, I thought it was a silly idea, but quickly I realized just how often you say no to mundane questions or requests and how drastically your day could be different if you simply said yes.

Since then, I have done several yes days, and today, for the first time in a long time, I did another. Like many of the others, I was somewhat wary about what the day would hold, but quickly, from morning coffees with colleagues I hadn't spoken to in a while to setting meetings with potential contractors for improvement opportunities, I ended up taking a whole new direction compared to what I may have originally done based on my norm. Even down to small things like my children making requests for somewhat trivial things that, although I would have a flat no, I enjoyed completing the task.

Sometimes in life, I think it's important to say yes to things you instinctively and reactively default to saying no to. Obviously, there are various things that go against our fundamental values, morals, or common code of conduct. However, sometimes if we say yes, we can open pathways to new and previously undiscovered experiences.

The thought of putting yourself in a position of vulnerability like this, both creates a sense of risk, a feeling of fear, invigoration, but also a deep sense of excitement. It has the ability to offer our counterparts a decision with a 100% positive outcome pending how they wish to direct it.

However, it is the masked offer that creates a sense of absolute trust. If we put absolute trust in someone, do we actually give them the opportunity to evaluate their true position, and how it will contribute to our lives.

Sometimes, how we receive information is so bias that we have the inability to see alternative perspectives. Sometimes if we said yes more often, maybe we could learn something more about ourselves, maybe this could contribute in the search for happiness.

Everything in the world begins with a yes. One molecule said yes to another molecule and life was born. - Clarice lispector

Thanks,

Dean