The "Yes" Revolution: Saying "Yes" To Yourself

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These past four years, I have spent a lot of time self-reflecting, meditating, & making changes as necessary to live my fullest, happiest life. I'm not perfect & never claim to be; I'm the flawed, unique human that I was created to be & I fully embrace that most days. However, I was put on this Earth for a purpose, just like the rest of us & part of that purpose is leaving it a better place for the generations to follow & leave something that your descendants are proud of. Now, don't get my words wrong, I'm not talking about material things, I'm talking about your character, how you make people feel, & the memories you leave.

Part of that reflection & change is saying "yes" more often, inspired by the movie Yes Man, a 2008 film starring Jim Carey & Zoey Deschanel. I have spent my whole life allowing anxiety & fear to keep me from a possible great experience. No lies, sometimes I have a serious case of FOMO, (fear of missing out), but since I had the peace I took for granted threatened, I appreciate & enjoy my peace a lot more often, even if I hear a fun story of shenanigans that I missed afterward. Most recently, I vowed to myself that I would say "yes" more often & not let anxiety & fear get in my way. I told some of my closests, so that they could hold me accountable. I highly recommend starting your own "yes revolution", but know your limitations.

Don't over-extend yourself so that you have nothing left to give to yourself. Only say yes if it's something you genuinely want to do. If friends invite you to do something new, say "yes," even if it's something you've never done before. Even if you've done something before & a friend or family member invites you to do a "thing," if you enjoyed it, just do it. Get yourself out as often as you feel comfortable doing so. I can understand that a lot of factors can keep you inside, but you won't regret saying "yes" on occasion to get yourself out of your comfort zone. Even if it ends up being a shit show, it can still be a fun story or lesson learned, but you never know unless you try.

When you get the opportunity to do things you have been wanting to do, just do it. Take the fricken leap because you're already wanting to experience this, what's stopping you? Make life fun, adulting is bullshit, but there's no reason we can't have fun while we can. Stay responsible, get the shit done that you need to & don't let anyone tell you what's better for you. Fight your hardest to live your happiest life, whatever that looks like for you, as each person's happiness is as unique as our fingerprints. We may have some similarities, but every single one is special & different from the next.

Meeting new people is just as imperative as allowing yourself to have those new experiences. Yes, I am very stubborn & like to only stick to my core people because with them I am usually safe to be 100% myself, but there are so many amazing people out there that I would have missed out on getting the pleasure to know if I just stuck to those in my circle. Additionally, those people wouldn't have been able to get to know me & we all know I can be a shit, but I am also one of the best people to have in your life. I would do anything for anyone within my capacity. Even those who have hurt me, I have shown kindness & compassion too. I never want anyone to feel down around me, but I respect that sometimes you just have to sit in your emotions the way you need to, as you process & figure out the next step. There have been strangers who have shown more compassion & kindness than some that I called friends. Keeping your core circle small is a good idea, but don't let that be a circle that isn't flexible. People will come in & out of your life as their life takes them. You will have good, bad, or neutral memories, but don't you want their memories of you to be good?

I read this in my horoscope today & found it fitting. "Focus on deepening a few meaningful connections rather than juggling countless superficial ones."

The "yes" revolution isn't just about saying "yes" to doing things; there are benefits to mindfulness. Say "yes" to yourself to show the self-love that you need. Read a chapter instead of watching that episode. Take a bath or shower & take your time for once. Let the water flow over your skin & allow yourself to not stress or worry for a few moments. In the end, things seem to work out one way or another. Say yes to budgeting something for you to do for yourself, whether it's once a week or once a month. Say yes to sticking to your budget & saving when you can. Give yourself time daily to do a little something to make your heart happy. Is it a chocolate? Is it journaling or meditating? Is it cooking a delicious meal? Is it listening to your music loud & doing a chore or two? What can you do each day to say "yes" not just to others or for others' benefits, but also your own? Fucking celebrate yourself for your birthday, you deserve it!

Saying "yes" to yourself is being present in the moment & enjoying it while you can. Get off that phone! (This article is absolutely as much for my benefit, as yours btw. I call myself out a lot more than anyone else does.) This means sitting & enjoying a conversation with the people surrounding you without touching your cell phone. Sit at that firepit & enjoy the company, not looking at everyone else's life on social media. Start acting like your phone is corded to the wall & focus on the person next to you. If you're alone, do something to focus on you that isn't in front of a screen. Now, I'm not saying not to zone out on your phone on occasion, but if you start living more mindfully & being more present, you will see a shift for the better in how you see the world & yourself.

I know that I can see the world differently than others. I see the evilness, the greed, & the hate & it makes my heart sick. It makes me want all that power to make a change for the better. Unfortunately, a lot of people in power don't deserve it because they aren't good people. A lot of undeserving people rise, while smart, talented, & lovely people are hidden in the shadows. Don't ever dim your light. Burn their fucking eyes. I'm shocked by how many people are so unhappy & dead set on being unhappy that they don't do anything about it. They try to ooze their unhappiness to others. As a person who suffers with depression, I do everything I can to get out of the dark space that one day I may not come back from. People want to stay so miserable that they put too much care & thought into how other people are living their lives, loving their people, or making the world better for themselves & their loved ones.

In Mandi Shelley's 40 is the New F-Word, Meg gives herself "a year of yes," & I challenge you to do the same. Read my interview with her at: https://www.beautifuldisasterlit.com/post/summer-must-read-40-is-the-new-f-word-a-bold-collaboration-with-mandi-shelly

You can also purchase her book at: https://a.co/d/2macwVW

Saying yes is also speaking the word when you would normally say no. Dance when someone asks you to dance, even if you are shy. Go to a party that you'd normally say no to. Just be open & give yourself the opportunity to experience new moments. You never know, it could be a yes that you don't regret. Take a mental look at your bucket list & start checking things off as you can. Don't assume there will be another chance to try it & just brave up & do it when you get the chance. Experiment & see how saying "yes" can boost your confidence & allow you more meaningful connections.

So, start saying "yes" to yourself & start your own revolution. Tell me about the times when you said "yes" instead of "no," & you didn't regret it. Tell me about the times when you have. Regardless, don't let fear & anxiety keep you from living your complete life. Daily, we are reminded that life is too short, so don't spend your last moments regretting it. Leave the world a better place when you go because life is already a pain in the ass sometimes, might as well give our followers the chance that we didn't have.

🖤💋💨