The Wisdom of Yes

Today, #reverb10 asks about Wisdom: What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

I’ve made lots of decisions this year, some wise, some less than thought-out. But for argument’s sake, let’s say the wisest ones are the most pervasive, the ones whose effects ripple through every single day.

I said yes.

And that empowered me to say no.

Early this year, I decided to say yes to everything, to every invitation, to every newsletter subscription list, to every book a friend recommended, to exotic new foods, to running. Try everything once, I repeated like a mom to a picky eater. It won’t kill you to try it on, to see if you like it.

I’ve said yes to dozens of ideas, activities, groups, tweetups, clubs, etc. I’ve shed some that I realized definitely weren’t for me. I embraced some that are such perfect fits, like a worn pair of jeans, that I feel like they’ve always been part of my life.

In short, I decided to say yes to the possibilities that surround our lives, circling around us, if only we stretch just a bit to reach them. In doing so, I’ve found so much intrigue and joy. It’s liberating. You really can be who you want to be, if only you’ll say yes to the possibilities and take a little leap of faith.

And by deciding to say yes, I learned I can also say no. I said no to a life I realized I didn’t want.

Wisdom always seems clearer in retrospect. When I decided to start saying yes, I did so to expand my horizons. I didn’t realize that my horizons were already nice and wide – I just had to reach for them. I can’t wait to see what I grasp in 2011.

This post is part of #Reverb10, a month-long project to reflect on the year nearly gone. Read all my #Reverb10 posts, or learn more.