This past weekend I was having a lazy Sunday, and one of my roommates and I were lounging around, watching Season 5 of Gossip Girl. You know the episode. Some of the cast is in L.A., and Chuck Bass tells about his new outlook on life that encourages him to say “yes” to everything, claiming he will “try anything once.” It is kind of comical given Chuck’s demeanor, but for the rest of the day when faced with a decision, my roommate and I, half-joking, would ask, “What would Chuck Bass say?”
And while it may seem kind of silly, there is a lot of truth to the methodology. If you won’t trust Chuck Bass, you may trust , the Chairman of Google.
“Find a way to say yes to things. Say yes to invitations to a new country, say yes to meet new friends, say yes to learn something new. Yes is how you get your first job, and your next job, and your spouse, and even your kids. Even if it’s a bit edgy, a bit out of your comfort zone, saying yes means that you will do something new, meet someone new, and make a difference. Yes lets you stand out in a crowd, be the optimist, see the glass full, be the one everyone comes to. Yes is what keeps us all young.” ― Eric Schmidt
You are not going to get any new opportunities or see any changes if you keep doing the same thing or seeing the same people day after day. When presented with an opportunity, take advantage of it – why not? If a friend invites you to a party, if a colleague you are not too close with asks you to join them for coffee, if you get asked to join an adventure – say yes. It will lead to new experiences, new connections, and new memories.
Exploring Paris by myself was one of the best travel experiences that I’ve ever had.
In improv, there is something called the “yes, and” rule. No matter what the other actor says, you can not shut them down. You have to say “Yes, and…” – no matter how crazy it is. I think that this is something transferrable to our own lives. So often people want to tell you “no” because “no” is a safe answer. When you say “yes,” you are opening yourself up to the unpredictable and the new. It can be scary, but it is also exciting! The next time you are presented with a new opportunity, opt in and say yes.
What would Chuck Bass do?
{Image via } One of the reasons we would love to read Chuck Bass is because he is always willing to go on an adventure or try something new.
By
Louisa
I just wrote about this recently – a couple of years ago I did a “summer of yes” where I said yes to everything (within reason) and it was one of the best summer’s of my life! This past summer was, unfortunately, more of a “summer of no”. I’m back in the “yes” mindset again though!