Say Yes

In my last post, Sorting Out Why to Say “Yes” and Why to Say “No” I pointed out that you should assess and understand why your initial reaction to an offered opportunity is yes or no, and I noted some good reasons why you might choose yes or no in a particular circumstance. In this post, however, I am going to advocate for saying yes — especially if it interests and/or scares you. Say yes, get out of your comfort zone, and see how you grow!

If you want an illustration of how saying yes can impact your life, I recommend watching the Jim Carrey movie from 2008, Yes Man. I recently watched this movie again (I had seen it years ago) and still enjoyed it. Of course, it is a little silly in some parts, but the message of saying yes to open yourself up to life’s possibilities is carried out well. The premise of the movie is that the main character, Carl, promises a self-help guru that he will say yes to everything and if he breaks the promise he’ll be cursed. This promise takes Carl well out of his comfort zone, but he does begin living life (to the extreme) instead of merely surviving day after day.

So in real life, how do you say yes to things that are out of your comfort zone? What if you just don’t have the confidence? Well, you’re in luck because it takes courage, not confidence, to get out of your comfort zone. Confidence is built from getting out of your comfort zone! Here’s an example. If public speaking is out of your comfort zone, then it takes courage to say, “you know what…I will try my best. I will get through it, and I will be stronger for it after having this experience.” That’s how you gain confidence — because the next time you do something out of your comfort zone you can say, “well, I survived that public speaking thing, so I can survive this too.” (This reminds me of the workout t-shirt that says “but did you die?” I think anyone who tries something out of their comfort zone should wear one of these shirts!)

I challenge you to give it a try. Be courageous and do something that is out of your comfort zone this week. Strike up a conversation with the other person in the elevator. Take the dance class. Accept the job offer that gives you butterflies in your stomach. Just saying yes and getting out of your comfort zone is a success! Repeated success builds confidence, and then guess what — you’re not just surviving; you’re thriving!