“Say yes, and you’ll figure it out afterwards.” Tina Fey
When I was a teenager, my Explorer Pact needed to raise money for an upgrade to the falling down campground we used regularly. Suggestions came fast, yet they were the same as every other time. “Let’s do a rock concert!” I said, having absolutely no idea what that would entail.
The idea, at first, was crazy. But all teenagers wanted to play with it. So I called a radio station known for producing concerts to tell them about our intention. They thought the idea was just nutty enough to receive lots of attention and attendance. And so we organized a rock concert. It was a great success, really fun, and exceeded our fundraising goals. A few months later, post-rock concert, our campground had brand spanking new lean-tos and outhouses. Thanks to rock n’ roll, and saying Yes to bold ideas.
The one idea helped me realize that I have the ability to take ideas, no matter how acky, from thought to manifestation. And so from College, onwards, my life followed passions, not success. Some of my passions led to important events like co-founding the first Acupuncture School in the US and founding the first Naturopathic College in California along with helping write the licensure laws bringing the professions to the country. Some things weren’t so successful, such as starting a business developing organic cosmetics with a professor that went under or confronting the ghosts getting in the way of love.
And so a life journey to awakening began, or as Gurdjieff reminded ‘We are machines, who can choose to do the work of being human’.
We can say Yes, even in the hurt or when it hurts.
Life is not easy; it’s rich and messy and bountiful. Yes, in a time of treachery and deceit is even more important to keep our soul intact. Passive aggressive may be condoned by a society that also is complicit with children believing violence is normal behavior.
By saying Yes, we announce to ourselves and others that our life is a creative process filled with wonder. It says out loud that we don’t need to know everything all the time and that taking leaps allows our hearts to soar.
A quick exercise in the power of YES:
- Say YES right now.
Stand in front of a mirror and say YES, you know sing YES, move your body, sway in front of that mirror, how do you feel? - Now, look in the mirror and say NO.
How does that make you feel? Which do you prefer, which helps you feel hopeful? Which puts a smile on your face, your whole being?
Yes, stretches us to do things we never believed capable of from feats of strength to professional success. Think about those magical moments when you didn’t have a clue and for some reason, possibly still not knowing why, you took a risk. Are you in loving relationship with that magic, are you operating a business because you said yes, are you a graduate of a school because you fooled yourself and were accepted.
What happens when you say YES:
- we smile
- we like ourselves
- we can be ourselves
- we can love
- we soften
- we find miracles
- we achieve
- we have true friends
- our career takes off
- we live in the present moment
- we just feel good
Is there anything or many things that have been hanging around like ghosts, coming in the middle of the night, waking you up, for numerous nights. Leave a pad of paper next to your bed with a pen, commit to yourself you’re going to try. Even the act of trying, creating new actions, leading to habits creates new passageways for life of joy. Oh, what the heck, put a jacket on and go take the walk, even with a flashlight, there’s one on your phone. Talk to yourself, this time with love and care– go play, jump, sing, anything to get you to be open to new ways. YES, YES
Sit quietly, watch your breath—in and out slowly—I love myself, Yes I am, Yes I can. I surround myself with people who say Yes and support each other to live Yes. And so it is.