What if You Said Yes Instead of No

Lately, I’ve had to do an awful lot of uncomfortable things. By choice. I could have easily said: “No!”

I could have said no to living in Crete, with its positive energy, sunshine, clean food, and beautiful souls—and chosen the familiar path back home, which no longer fed my spirit but felt comfortable because everything there was known.

I could have said no when I saw that the local hiking club was climbing nearly 1,500 meters high on Sunday. I’m afraid of heights, and what I dread most is scrambling along a gravelly, guardrail-free edge where, if you slip, the only thing to grab onto might be a thorny little bush. How long would that fall be, anyway?

I could have told myself no: Don’t you dare ride your old-school TDM all the way to the hike’s starting point on your own. Especially after seeing that reaching the mountain village meant following a narrow, cracked cement road, where Google Maps showed that driving 12 kilometers would take 30 minutes—and the altitude was already at 900 meters. Up might be doable, but down?

I could have said no to sending our daughter to the local Greek-speaking school. How easy it would have been to stick to homeschooling in Estonian and stay in our cozy, safe little family bubble.

I could have said no when friends, who are soon having a baby, asked me to help in their business. After all, I don’t yet understand Greek, filling out documents properly carries a lot of responsibility, and I don’t know how to deal with tourists. (By the way, if you’re ever near Agios Nikolaos, you’re welcome to join an ATV safari!)

I could have said no when I was recently asked to photograph a wedding. I mean—I’m not a photographer, and capturing a moment like that is a big deal. Yet, what if saying yes to that made me realize I might actually want to improve my photography skills? (So if anyone around here needs photos, let me practice—reach out!)

These past weeks, life events and twists have given me countless chances to stay small, to cling to comfort, to doubt myself, and to say no. Oh, how easy that would have been. But how much life do we lose each time we say no?

Yes! Let’s say yes more often to challenges! To living fully, experiencing new things, learning new skills! Yes! Yes! Yes to life!

Here’s a passage from my book “How to Become the Master of My Fate and Captain of My Soul?”, from the collection of thoughts that pushed me to live more fully in difficult times:

#140

NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

Your dreams are your responsibility. Waiting around, hoping someone will discover you, notice you, or hand you permission out of nowhere—it’s never going to happen. Nobody is coming.

The truth is: no one is coming to save you, to discover you, or to grant you permission. Your life and your dreams are yours to take responsibility for. The only approval you need to start living your dreams is your own.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect plan. The universe rewards those who take risks, not those who play it safe.

If you want to change your life, you have to be the hero of your own story. You don’t need anyone’s permission. You just need to act. Even if you don’t feel ready—do it anyway. That feeling of readiness never actually arrives.

We always feel a bit nervous and unsure before doing something new. You won’t have all the answers. And yes, something might go wrong—but so what? Do it anyway!

Make that call. Send that email. Sign up for the course. Quit that job. If necessary, walk away—this time for real. Take that leap into the unknown.

When you step outside your comfort zone, you are on the right track. Naturally, you won’t feel ready as you move toward where you truly want to go. That’s okay. It’s supposed to feel uncomfortable out there. But eventually, that discomfort becomes your new normal.

What matters is that you don’t stay trapped inside your little bubble. You’ll be amazed when you finally straighten your back and burst it open.

Take the risk. Grow. Push yourself forward.

Because the truth is—no one is coming to discover you, rescue you, or hand you your dream life. It’s all up to you.

Get out of your own way. Start now.

You can find more thoughts to help you live more fully here: