Start saying YES to things that scare you

So here's a thought.

We're constantly saying Yes to things that don't necessarily add any value to our lives. Worst case, we agree to things we don't want to do for the sake of looking good in front of others, "securing" a promotion... searching to  "excel" in the typical panorama of life. I don't know about you, but I've done it a lot.

At least for me, these practices aren't sustainable. I've determined that this constant search for approval, the need to meet external expectations (especially in my professional life), is slow consuming my desire to do what truly makes me happy... and I've decided I'm slowly going to back off from trying too hard to be what others want me to be. I'm sure many people think the same way, whether it's in their professional or personal life.

But let's change our point of view for a second and think about the things we're actively saying NO to. Experiences we're depriving ourselves from. Things that, for the most part, we've decided not to pursue because we're scared of what will happen.

It's fine and normal to say NO to many things... I constantly say this life is not enough for all I want to do. But I'm making a conscientious effort to identify those life events I'm not even giving myself a chance to experience, the ones that align with my values and time in life, and purposefully saying YES to letting them be. I'm letting my fears and doubts aside to pursue things that may very well fail catastrophically... but will teach me invaluable lessons nevertheless. 

So if your doubts are of solo traveling for the first time, or signing up for a half-marathon, climbing a difficult mountain, changing career paths, starting a business, moving across the country (or even to an entirely different country!), think about the possibilities and choose to be vulnerable.