Do you usually say yes to life’s invitations? Monhegan Island, Maine, could be one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited, yet when a friend asked me to hike its rocky cliffs my first response was to say no.
Whatever the question, no is often my immediate response.
Do you want to take a walk?
How about a bike ride by the river?
What would you think about checking out that new museum?
It seems to be a knee-jerk reaction on my part, but when I dig a little deeper, I discover fear. There’s a thin layer of fear that surrounds almost every new experience. When I name, feel, and face it, fear loses its intensity, and I find the courage to say yes.
I go on the walk, take a bike ride, or visit the museum, and I’m almost always rewarded. I see a beautiful vista, feel the pride of accomplishment, or learn something new.
Taking the path of least resistance leads to complacency. It may be safe, but the scenery seldom changes. When I get off my butt, face my fears, and just do it, I fuel the engines that energize my life.
When life issues an invitation I am learning to consider saying yes before no. Life is most likely offering me a lovely present, but I need to show up to receive it.
In her wonderful book, Loving Yourself: Four Steps to a Happier You, Daphne Rose Kingma shares an old fable about the creation of the world. “…it is said that there’s an angel who whispers a message to each soul who comes to earth, a message of instruction about what each soul is supposed to do here when it arrives. Although many people wondered what complicated instructions the angel might have given each soul, the angel’s message was simple. It consisted of one word: give.” Kingma goes on to say that one of the deepest paths to loving ourselves are those in which we serve others.