Saying "Yes!"

I'm that girl that never went camping growing up. I didn't climb trees. And doing the whole Chinese Fire Drill thing at a stoplight just never tickled my fancy. I knew what things I was comfortable with in life and which things I was not. Don't get me wrong - I'm all for getting outside of your comfort zone - I mean, hello... I moved to San Diego! But what happens when we start saying "yes" to life?

I've met someone here in SD whose motto is to just say "yes" to life. To say, "Sure, why not?" After all, it could eventually be life-changing. Each time I've spent with him, I've found myself saying "yes" to something I would normally say "no" to.

Example Numero Uno:

He took me to hike Torrey Pines for the first time. Am I a big hiker? Um, no. But I had heard amazing things about hiking Torrey Pines so I was all for it. Then, he told me there was a great spot on the hike to run. Am I a runner? Definitely not.

I was skeptical. My attitude was very, "Ehhh." But sure enough, once we hiked up the cliff, it was time to run. I agreed to it and we started running. Immediately, in my head, I told myself this wouldn't last very long but hey, at least I tried it right? Well, we kept running. And talking. And laughing. And before I knew it, we finished out the entire hike with that run. The best part is that I wanted to do it again. I got SO much out of it! I felt pumped. Excited. Proud of myself.

Example Numero Dos:

This weekend we were hanging out and he mentioned that we should go dancing. I'm a dancer but I've never been one to just "go dancing." So, my "Ehhh" attitude began again and I figured I'd just have to talk him into doing something else. He starts telling me about this place with really healthy food and said we should go there. Okay, good. My plan to avoid dancing was working.

We got side-tracked and I told him the story of how I forgot how to ride a bike. [Seriously. The whole "it's like riding a bike" saying is a joke.] His response was, "Well, that's unfortunate because we are riding bikes tonight to get there." You're kidding me.

Note: I may or may not have gotten myself onto the bike, peddled once, and veered directly into his car. 

Anyway. We laughed hysterically and then I told him I would just run to the restaurant. Well, that wasn't going to happen. Much to my dismay, I rode on the handlebars of his bike. As terrified as I was of being thrown off, I ended up having a blast. We rode alongside the beach and having the salt air in my hair was the greatest feeling :)

I was pleasantly surprised when the restaurant we went to was a restaurant I went to the first time I visited my brother here years ago. That restaurant has since closed and the new one has opened up but how cool to randomly go back to visit a special spot?

It's weird coincidences like that one that make you realize you're right where you're meant to be. I felt so happy. If I hadn't said "yes," I wouldn't have felt that breeze in my hair. I wouldn't have smelled the delicious salt air. I wouldn't have watched the waves crash from that deck. I wouldn't have been reminded of a fun spot my family loved. I wouldn't have made new memories [some that we will laugh about for years.]

So, start saying "yes." You might be terrified. You might be nervous. Perhaps you doubt your own capabilities. Or perhaps you really will nearly crash your bike. But keep seeking those opportunities. It's in those "yes" moments that you really feel life.

And just in case you were wondering... I ended up saying "yes" to dancing that night too :)