The Art of Saying Yes

How three letters can change everything.

by ZOE GREEN ★ JANUARY 11, 2024

Not to get morbid, but you only have an average of 28,000 days in your life. That's not a huge number, is it? But don’t worry, I am here to tell you how to make the most of it with one simple word: yes. That's right, you have taken the first step to master the art of saying yes just by clicking on this article!

This doesn't mean you should say yes to something insane. You have to make sure safety is your first priority, so sometimes it's okay to say no. But every once in a while, an opportunity arises where saying no is not the way to go.

We all have our comfort zones and our own little boxes we enjoy living in. We are safe and content there, and that's okay! Our nature as humans is to seek comfort and the familiar. However, this can hold us back from opportunities that can change our life. That's why I believe in the power of yes.

Just by saying yes, you open so many doors. If your friends ask you to go out on a weeknight, try saying yes! If someone invites you to a club meeting and you are scared to go because you don’t know anyone, say yes! If there's a really cool class you want to take, but you are scared of failing because it's hard, say yes! If the word “no” closes doors, “yes” opens them. 

As we enter into this new year, I know I will be practicing saying yes, and I encourage all of you to as well. This summer I took my own advice. While I was a camp counselor, the kids would always ask me to participate in silly activities like water fights and paint tag. By saying yes I ended up having the time of my life, and I showed those kids that taking risks is crucial to living life to the fullest.

Don’t just take it from me, take it from the hundreds of actors who got roles just by saying yes to an audition. Like Zendaya, for instance: she took a leap of faith to try out for a new character in Euphoria. She said yes, and absolutely killed it in my (and everyone else’s) opinion. Another example is the queen bee herself, Beyonce. She has taken risks in the music industry, dabbling in all different genres and sounds. She would not be as successful without taking a leap of faith and trying new things.

Failure is a part of life, and each fall we take makes the “yes” so much more worth it! In the words of Kelly Clarkson, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. What knocks us down teaches us how to be successful. We learn from our mistakes, and that's a part of the human experience. I challenge all of you to take that step out of your box, and learn the art and the power of saying yes.