Making big changes in life is difficult, especially when making a change to your mindset. But switching up your perspective and becoming more receptive is the best way to gain more from life. So, when you start to feel stuck or are wanting more from the world around you, open your mind and your heart by saying, “Yes!”

If you spend your whole life saying “no” and sit on the sidelines rather than participating in different events or activities, you’ll miss out on many of the wonderful things this life has to offer. For every time you say “no,” the door to multiple entrances is closed. Instead, take every chance to experience something different or challenging. With a little more self-control, a shift in your attitude, and a willingness to grow, you’ll be saying “yes,” when you used to say “no.”

Say “Yes” to Refresh

When beginning your journey to a new mindset, start by saying “yes” to things you want to do and things that you’re indifferent about. For example, if you’re feeling lazy but your friend invites you over for dinner, go have dinner with them. If an acquaintance invites you to a networking event, but you just got home from work and are exhausted. Take the chance and go to the event! Or, for things that you’re indifferent about, like housesitting or picking someone up from the airport, step out of your comfort zone and do it.

If you quit saying “no,” you’ll see that passing up opportunities often means missing out on a learning experience or a valuable interaction. When you become more comfortable with accepting new requests, start saying “yes” to tasks or events that you would normally avoid. We all have different comfort zones, so not everybody avoids the same events or tasks. If you regularly send telemarketers to voicemail, pick the phone up this time and hear what they have to say. Don’t want to answer the door because you see it’s a solicitor? If you’re not in a big rush, answer the door and talk with them.

This daring new lifestyle will help you step out of your comfort zone and be more open-minded to meeting new people and enjoying new experiences.

Why “Yes” is Essential

Increasing your willingness to take on new tasks, try new things, lend a hand, or do something you don’t really want to do, is great practice for several reasons.

In business and work, saying “yes” does the following:

• Leads you in new directions that you may have avoided otherwise.
• Opens doors to challenges that you can learn from.
• Makes you more receptive to collaboration by empowering and affirming others.

In a team setting, saying “yes” more allows everyone to try, fail, and invent through risk taking, without the fear of repercussions. Using “yes” more frequently will improve your personal development as well as your professional development.

In your everyday life, you can use the power of “yes” to your advantage in numerous ways. First and foremost, “yes” expands your opportunities! This is important to remember because not all opportunities will be available twice. When an opportunity is presented to you, jump on the “yes” train! If you don’t gain something out of the experience, at the very least you’ll know what to avoid next time.

New Opportunities? “Yes, Please!”

Saying “yes” will occasionally put you in positions that might be uncomfortable, but have the potential to help you reach your potential. If you say “no” to helping your uncle build a fence around his backyard, you’ll miss out on two opportunities! You won’t learn how to build a fence, and you won’t get to spend time with your uncle. If you say “yes,” you get to do both of those things, and you can ask him to help build your fence in the future.

Furthermore, if your superior asks you to take on a new project that you don’t feel fit to complete, roll with it! Your boss knows your strengths and limitations and chose you for a reason. Take that opportunity, despite your worry that you may not be fit for the job. In accepting the role, you only run the risk of failing and learning from your mistakes. If you don’t accept the task, you risk losing an opportunity to grow, learn, and stay in your boss’s sight. Additionally, if you say “yes” more frequently, you’ll end up doing a lot more in your life than you would by turning down every offer or request.

With all this information, you might be thinking, “Yeah, I should say ‘yes’!” But you’re probably also wondering how to start.

Yes, You Can

It may seem difficult to just begin saying “yes” to everything, but you don’t have to say “yes” to everything. Be logical about your responses and recognize the tasks or activities that you truly don’t want to do. It probably doesn’t need to be said, but to err on the side of caution, don’t say “yes” to things that’ll put you in danger or could end in a bad circumstance. Starting this practice will help you learn to trust yourself and the world around you. Through the process of saying “yes,” you’ll learn that expanding your comfort zone isn’t all that bad. You’ll also find yourself looking for more chances to help others, attempt new activities, take on more responsibilities, and test your abilities.

As you’re “yes”-ing all over the place, remember to do it with excitement and wonder. Saying “yes” will open so many doors and truly change your life—for the better. If saying “yes” leads you to a frustrating experience, learn to laugh about it.