Less noes, more yeses please

This week I went to Bex Band’s book launch, this time on adventuring outdoors with kids. Great location, lovely outdoorsy people and such a supportive community. The speech she gave was so genuine and inspiring and to no surprise the main message was a very familiar one saying something along the lines of get out of your comfort zone if you want to meet the “magic”. A personal story of a dyslexic student (who was laughed at in school by teachers when she said that she wants to become a writer), turned into a serial author loved equally by outdoor enthusiasts and parents. Writing her third book while carrying for her toddler, growing a second life and managing her multiple businesses and communities. Out of the comfort zone by all means and on all fronts.

One of the things that really hit home for me was the fact that Bex said she still has aaaall the feelings when having to talk in front of people, when dealing with publishers, when having to wait for the first reading etc. What she got incredibly better at was to ignore the voice in her head that keeps saying that she can’t do this, she can’t do that. And it got me really thinking how important it is to find and cultivate from a really early age the confidence that we can do all that we set ourselves to. Maybe we don’t do it perfectly (who does it actually?), maybe we don’t do it completely, maybe it takes us a longer time, maybe we ask for help, but we always, always CAN and DO things to the best of our abilities.

How would the future adults’ lives look like if instead of saying to our children you are too small, you can’t do this, you are too young for that we welcome their enthusiasm with let’s try and see how we can do it for the time being with what we have (height, age, skills, knowledge, experience). And then later we can try again. Less of you can’t and more of let’s try. Less noes, more yeses. I have no doubt we would all meet more of this magic in our lives be it direct experiences or inspiring stories.

What are you saying yes to (instead of no) today? For yourself and for someone around you. If you fancy any such inspiration, Bex has plenty in her new book to try.