YEAR OF YES: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person
Andrea Seydel Live Life Happy Unconventional Book Club
Introduction
The mega talented creator of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal, Shonda Rhimes, reveals how saying YES changed her life and how it can change yours too. It all started when someone said, "You never say yes to anything." Those six words became Shonda Rhimes wake up call and challenge.
Do you hold yourself back at times out of fear, procrastination, or avoidance? Are you not showing up as often as you could? This book is an inspiration to make THIS year the year of YES. Yes to terrifying public speeches, yes to taking your health seriously, and yes to difficult conversations. Also, yes to exploring, empowering and applauding love for your truest self.
Saying YES can not only change your life, but it can save you and open you up to huge possibilities and opportunities.
What are you saying NO to?
Think about things that you have said no to? What excuses or lies did you come up with in order to NOT do something? What are you keeping the door shut to? Think about it... When do you catch yourself saying no, or coming up with excuses or reasons why you can't do something. Saying or thinking NO keeps you here, stuck.
Maybe it's time to start saying YES to things? Saying yes might bring you to something new, exciting and wonderful. Or different. It means when you say your are going to do something, you do it. You really do it. Learn all the way in. TRY saying YES to everything for a year. CHALLENGE There is no way to hide when you have a plan to say YES for an entire year.
Yes to everything is scary. Yes to everything takes you out of your comfort zone, yes to everything that feels like it might be crazy is crazy. Yes to everything that feels out of character. Yes to everything that feels goofy. Yes to everything. SAY IT "YES"
YES
If you are thinking the Year of Yes is going to be amazing, freeing, and feel really good; You're wrong!! It is going to be uncomfortable, full of fear, doubt, and feelings of losing control. You will be nervous. You will be scared. But that is all.
Yes brings opportunities and growth; NOT comfort! It brings about whole truth into your life. Half of the time we come up with reasons or excuses, that simply are not true. It reminds me of a time when I was asked to be on a talk show talking about positivity getting through divorce with children. Initially my response was not no but it was masked in all kinds of excuses why I couldn't do it. I am not sure what shifted, but I got courage to go on the show. That show alone single handedly made my book My Parents are Separated and I am Whole, an international best selling children book.
When you are in doubt and find yourself telling lies or saying excuses and convincing yourself NO; Power pose like wonder women. Power pose like wonder women is when you stand up like a badass- legs in a wide stance, chin up, hands on your hips. Like you own the place. Like you have a magical silver bracelet and know how to use them. Like a super hero cape is flapping in the wind behind you. There are actual studies that support power posing for five minutes not only improves self-esteem but even hours later improves how others perceive you. START POWER POSING!!
Saying YES does not mean that you do or say things that are not true for you.
YES REALITIES
SAYING YES IS ABOUT BEING A DOER NOT A DREAMER! Just keep moving forward. Seize the next opportunity and stay open to trying something new. You want to travel, sell your crappy car and travel. You want to be a writer, guess what writers write everyday, start writing.
TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE THE WORST DAY EVER FOR YOU. It's hard out there in life. So tomorrow may suck for you and we are incredibly lucky. Find a cause you love. Volunteer some hours and focus outside of yourself. It will increase your sense of well-being. What you say Yes to can be self-less.
SAYING YES MAY NEED TRADE OFFS! YOU WILL NOT BE PERFECT! You cannot possibly do it all. Women often don't admit that they have help at home and there is no reason for shame. Wave the white flag when you need help. Sometimes we need to say YES To NO. No is powerful too.
SAYING YES WILL MAKE YOU BUSIER- SAY YES TO PLAY AND NO WORK. Make sure you keep balancing work and play.
SAY YES TO YOUR BODY. Losing yourself does not happen all at once. It happens one no at a time. Not to going out tonight, not to eating healthy, not to attending a party, no to going on vacation. Losing yourself comes one pound at a time.
SAY YES TO COMPLIMENTS: Be your own greeting card and be able to take a compliment. ACKNOWLEDGE your own Badassery- the practice of knowing one's own accomplishments and gifts, accepting ones's own accomplishments and gifts, celebrating ones accomplishments.
SAY YES TO DANCING IT OUT WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE. Say Yes to difficult conversations. and saying YES to saying No to certain people. Happy whole people attract happy whole people. Dance with people listening to the same songs. Dance your way out of relationships.
Summary
After a year of YES... I am different, I am an original, and like everyone else, I am here to take up space in the universe, and I do so with pride. LET'S DO THIS
We are Always a work in progress, Always dancing, Always dancing in the sun, we are worth it, we are happy, YES YES YES
My main take away from her book is the energy of leaning into our fears, doubts, excuses and say YES. Practice and act brave when you need to.
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Book Link: https://amzn.to/2Mt9xgW
Helping you LIVE LIFE HAPPY!!
HUGS Andrea