‘If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure that you can do it, say yes and then learn how to do it later. If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity but an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty’
Through saying yes to opportunity so many doors can be opened to us. Saying yes can be a scary thing to do sometimes and often we feel scared to step outside of our own comfort zones. But it is when we step outside of our comfort zones that the magic of life really happens. Saying yes and putting your trust in the universe is when life gets seriously interesting.
I want to share some of my own examples of when saying yes has brought me some amazing opportunities. I have always been an opportunity hunter and I thrive on new adventures and experiences.
I worked as a flight attendant for almost ten years and this role gave me an amazing insight into how the plane would fly. I was lucky enough to get to sit on the flight deck jump seat from time to time and witness the take offs and landings first hand. It gave me a buzz that I cannot put into words and it lead me to pursue training for my pilot qualification which would later on lead me to meet my husband and father of my children. I will be honest, training for my pilots licence was one of the most terrifying things I have ever done to date especially the times that I had to purposely put the plane into a stall (where it literally falls out of the sky and you have to know how to recover from it). It would have been easier for me not to do it but that would not have gotten me my pilots licence so I had to feel the fear and do it anyway. Had I not chased the opportunity to become a pilot I would not have experienced so many wonderful things and I would not have met my husband and had my three children.
Another example of a time I have said yes to opportunity was when I was asked to teach a hula hoop class at my daughters school. This was back when I was only just learning to hula hoop and I had never taught a kids class in my life. I didn’t feel ready at all but I said yes anyway. Saying yes opened a very important door for me, one that would lead me on to create a whole business.
Only last week I attended an open audition at my local BBC radio station for a new presenter search. And although I am used to public speaking the audition process was terrifying. I didn’t make it through but three days later I received an email from one of the BBC producers saying that even though I hadn’t made it through they had connected with my story and would like to invite me on to the radio to speak. Had I never gone to the audition and put myself through that experience then I wouldn’t now be on the radar of a BBC producer.
No opportunity is ever a waste of time. It will either open a door to a new and exciting experience, you may meet new people who become friends or you will learn new lessons. Either way, every time that you say yes to an opportunity you will experience personal growth. And when we grow on all levels we can serve this planet better, not only the planet but most importantly we will serve ourselves better.
What opportunity will you say yes to next?