Just say yes

Are you bored? Stuck in a rut? Want to make some changes in your life both personally and professionally?

Well there is one really quick and easy way to start and that’s by saying ‘yes’. Yes to deciding to make a change but what I really mean is saying yes to every opportunity and invite that comes your way.

Let me explain.

How saying yes has helped me

You see, my 18 month old daughter’s favourite word at the moment is ‘no’.

“Are you going to eat some dinner Chloe?”……..No

“Are you going to get changed Chloe?”……….No

“Would you like to go out Chloe?”………..No

It’s hard to be angry at her when she has the power of cuteness on her side! But obviously when she grows up I hope she will be very much a yes person.

A few years back now I used to be quite a shy person and even now I wouldn’t say confidence comes massively easy to me but I remembered what my Dad once said to me. He said that you need to go outside your comfort zone every now and then as this is where you really test yourself and develop.

So I made a conscious decision to say yes when a proposition was put my way.

I said yes to changing jobs back in 2010 for a new role which didn’t pay any more and resulted in me having to study hard for the next 5 years.

I said yes to attending regular seminars and professional events.

I said yes to becoming a Financial Adviser and started working with clients.

I said yes to meeting and spending time with leading figures in my field.

I said yes to giving presentations at different networking events.

I said yes to writing articles for magazines and to be interviewed by a leading financial planning magazine.

I said yes to starting my own business – RTS Financial Planning.

At each point just before I said yes I always had that uncomfortable feeling. Part of my brain was focussing on the negatives, like: you’re not good enough, no one would listen to you etc but when you make a conscious decision to say yes to everything you don’t need delay and give your brain a chance to say no.  

The beauty of saying yes

By saying yes you are opening the doors to endless possibilities. Things have happened to me that I never dreamed would happen.

Here are 5 benefits of saying yes.  

1. Confidence

Your confidence will grow as you try new things and be around different people.

We learn from our experiences. So the more experiences you have the more you will learn to deal with difficult situations and overcome any fears you might have.

2. Gaining new mentors and ideas

Going to a new event and being around people you do not normally associate with can open up new opportunities.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet some great people who have really helped me understand what it takes to start a business and market myself.

When you meet someone successful and passionate about what they do it can get your own ideas buzzing.

3. Public speaking

A subject lot of people fear most but the only way you are ever going to get better at something is by practicing.

It doesn’t mean you have to stand up in front of a large crowd, it could just mean being able to talk to strangers. It’s only by talking to people you will be able to get your personality and ideas across and could mean you meet your next mentor.

For anyone wanting to get better at public speaking I highly recommend watching TED Talks and reading the Ted Talks book.

Are you going to say yes to my suggestion?!

4. Career development

If you make the most of every opportunity that comes your way then you are increasing the chances of you developing the skills or meeting the person that is going to give you your next big break.

Nothing will change if you stick with the same old same old.

5. Amazing experiences

Most of all saying yes can lead to some amazing life experiences.

You could end up in a place or talking to a person you never dreamed of.

Amazing life experiences will bring you joy, help you have a positive attitude on life and can fight away stress.

OK so when you get to a certain point, if you are really successful in what you do, you might not physically have the time to say yes to everything but until you do what’s the worse that can happen? The opportunity might not work out as you hoped but at least you know for next time.

Yes?

Risk warning:

Stock market linked investments and any income from them, can fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed. Any figures quoted are for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as a forecast or guarantee. Past performance should not be seen as an indication of future returns and clients may get back less than they have invested.