Yes! Yes, Yes, Yes, A Million Times YES!

The Yes Factor

I wanted to share about the Yes Factor.  I learned this from some friends that had moved to a new area.  They had both grown up in a small town where everybody knew everybody, and then they moved where they didn’t know anyone.  So, they devised a plan to meet new people. 

Side Bar

Sidebar, if you have ever been in the position where you had to move somewhere new, you know the awkwardness of being the new person.  It can be challenging to find new friends, and usually, you find a few that were only your friend for a day, not your tribe.  You can apply the Yes Factor to more than friends, but you’ll see further in the story.

The YES FACTOR

First, what is the Yes Factor? 

The Yes Factor is just that, saying Yes any time someone asks you to do something.  If it’s just you in a new situation, you can set some boundaries for yourself, but that is limiting.  Even if you hate sports and someone asks you to go rock climbing, say yes and just watch; you might surprise yourself and try it.  If you are in this new space with someone, a partner or a spouse, you should talk about some ground rules. 

Ground Rules

For instance, if you say yes to something and the other person doesn’t want to do it, have a code word for a time to leave.  Set a time limit for how long you have to give something a try.  The best way to have this work in your favour is just to say yes, and then do whatever that yes is. 

Example

Say you’re at your kid’s soccer game or dance class.  The other parents are milling around and find out you’re the new kid’s parents.  Being the friendly Canadians that they are, they invite you over for a bevy and some conversation.  What’s your answer?  Yes!  There’s no checking with the spouse. You’ve already set this ground rule that if someone asks, you each say yes, and the other has to go along with it. 

So, you come home and tell the said spouse. We are going to… let us call them Jack and Diane because who doesn’t like 80’s song reference, Jack and Diane’s for a bevy.  You show up, and low and behold, there’s someone there who works in the same field you do or loves the same sport you do.  You strike up a conversation, and the next thing you know, you’re going biking or to an art exhibit or something with total strangers who are now your friends. 

Now Flip It

Let’s say you are talking to the parent’s and you ask them over for bevy’s and conversation. You are allowing people in to your space and opening up. That is a form of saying Yes too. You may not want them in your house until you feel them out, so ask them to dinner at a restaurant. You will get the same results, you’ve opened up your space for growth.

Networking Is Growth

The Yes Factor is networking.  But it’s more than that.  Say someone says come and take this cooking class, and you hate cooking.  You still say yes.  It gets you out and about in a new city. It gets you out of your comfort zone and gets you involved in a community.  People crave belonging, and the Yes Factor gets you a step ahead. 

The yes Factor can be applied to your everyday life too.  Say you have been in a rut, and you need to shake things up.  Take one day and answer yes to every question you are asked.  Find your inner Jim Carrey and be the Yes Man.  See how your day changes.  I have one common sense area on this. If you have a doctor’s appointment and the nurse asks you if you are having chest pains, and you’re not, it is ok to say no!  Use common sense, but allow yourself to get uncomfortable to shake things up.  It may not work for everyone, but I bet it works for most everyone. 

So, if you have to move or start a new job or just need a change, give the Yes Factor a try in your everyday life.  See how those three little words can change someone’s day, including your own. 

The amount of times you can say yes in your life is unlimited, don’t be afraid to use it!