When Do You Say 'Yes'?

Most of us know what we like and don’t like, and so it’s easy for us to say ‘No’ to things that don’t fit our templates. We know what kind of food we like, what type of leisure activities we enjoy, what kind of books we like to read, and so on. So we say ‘Yes’ to those things, and ‘No’ to everything else.n nIn business we’ll do the same thing, but often in business, it’s not about what we like or dislike, it’s what we’re comfortable with. We say ‘Yes’ to what feels safe. And in business, not stepping outside your comfort zone can keep you stuck. Not saying ‘Yes’ in business can cost you, big time.n nDon’t get me wrong, ‘No’ can be a great word. A lot of empowerment literature, especially for women, will preach the power of the word ‘No’. But we need the ‘No’ for obligations and shoulds, for things that take us away from our power. That kind of ‘No’ means we’re saying ‘Yes’ to one thing (usually ourselves), and that means saying ‘No’ to other things.n nWhether you’re talking about life or business, the idea is the same: saying ‘Yes’ to something outside your comfort zone is a powerful, transformational technique. And it’s pretty easy to do. Just say ‘Yes’. nn(c) 2009 2009. Pamela Bruner