Saying “Yes” to the Adventure & the Ten Things I Learned

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A few weeks ago I was offered an opportunity I hadn’t expected or planned on. It meant reshuffling my calendar, stepping outside of my old familiar routine (read: comfort zone) and asking for support to take up the offer.

I said yes to the adventure and to see where it would take me. Here’s what I learned:

1.       Things need a shake up – when what I’m doing is not working anymore and I want different results it’s time to take different actions.

2.       Going back isn’t the way forward – it’s a starting place. I learned it won’t work for me like it did before and that’s okay.

3.       Returning to life after the adventure was not inspiring me – there is a transition happening, keep going, keep saying yes and keep growing.

yes-to-adventure

4.       What may appear as a step back isn’t always the case.  By approaching things differently I learned I now do things differently. The feedback I got reaffirmed my own observations as to how far I’ve come since the last time. This is progress and a step forward.

5.       With detachment, I can be the observer, see things outside of my story and refocus on my outcome. An attitude shift makes a difference to the approach taken and the results that come from it.

6.       Understanding others through compassion, allows me to remain calm and offer amazing service. Taking things personally is not necessary (or helpful). A listening ear is sometimes all that’s needed.

7.       “Can you help me?” is a question we ask of the most random people and expect them to know the answer. Sometimes the answer is “yes, I can”, and sometimes it’s “I’m sorry, no, I can’t.”

8.       I learned I do this a lot. I vent, I get angry, I get frustrated and I just dump it on the person at the other end. Having been on the receiving end I’ve learned I don’t need to do it. Life’s frustrations are just that, let them go.

9.       Most people want to help, contribute and be of service. I learned to say “Thank you” and, more importantly for me, I learned to say “Thank you, I’ve got this covered.”

10.   People are amazing – See their gifts and encourage them and you will get the best out of them.

 

Would I do it again? Absolutely, yes. Life constantly offers adventures. Say yes to the adventures – learn, grow, connect with others and mostly take the opportunity to connect with yourself at a whole new level.