An experiment in saying yes

_{“Everything in the world began with a yes”}

In March 2022 I decided I was going to become more nomadic and stay in cities for a month or so and then continue to travel.

Planning everything out, I realized I couldn’t just up and go. I had a roommate I was sharing a place with and paying rent to. I had a training coach whom I was meeting with twice a week. I had friends I saw often. Family that was nearby.

Planning to be more nomadic and just getting up and going I felt would have been selfish to all of the people whose lives were threaded with mine (and vice versa).

So I gave myself 6 months to plan and let others know my plans. I told my roommate, my coach, my friends, my family.

I decided, if I was indeed free, that I was going to say yes every time someone asked me to go out or hang out. “Hey, want to go to Trillium brewery Thursday night?” Yeah sure, I’m down.

Even if I knew in the back of my head I needed to wake up at 5am to go to the gym the next day, I would go. Even if I was a bit tired, I would say yes.

This wasn’t an absolute thing – that is what I want to stress. It was more of a theme.

I think there is something to be said about being available to the world and, more importantly, your friends. There is also something to be said about sticking to your word. In the past I always would say yes to something and then at the last minute cancel or find some excuse to not go or do something.

I don’t really know if I have any profound or illuminating wisdom to share from my experience of saying yes. It certainly was more fun and interesting than saying no, though.