"Yes" is one of my favorite words. To me, "yes" is positive and leads to a world of opportunity and general approval. Whether it is in the form of a “yeah,” “yaaaas,” or a simple “yes,” we need to be using it more. We need to be making fewer excuses and turning our backs to the opportunities and adventures in front of us.

The movie Yes Man is not only one of my favorite movies, but a great model for why we need to say yes. It allows us to step outside of our comfort zones and do more of what we love. Although there are always times when it is appropriate to say no (refer back to middle school health class), there are also times when it is more appropriate to say yes.

Lately I have been saying yes more, and I feel happier when I do. I say yes to going in earlier to work and feel better in the end, because it is more money in my pocket and less time watching Netflix. However, I also say yes to watching one more show on Netflix because the laughs are always needed. And I always say yes to some ice cream. There are so many points in our lives where saying yes can bring us more joy, but we will not know until we try it.

As I enjoy the rest of my summer and prepare for my second year of college, I am considering what I should say yes to more. I am thinking back on all of the times I should have said yes my freshman year, and the times I should have said yes earlier this summer too.

Say Yes to…

The dress (I couldn’t help it). But seriously if you are out shopping and it is something that you absolutely love: SAY YES.

Hanging out with friends. This goes without saying.

Trying new foods. There are so many things that I have eaten in the past year that I never thought I would have.

Picking up an extra shift at work. It never hurts to make a few extra bucks, especially if you have the time for it.

Not picking up an extra shift. It is okay to take a break too.

Pizza at 2 a.m.. As a general rule, just say yes to pizza always.

Staying in. There is no better feeling that going to bed at a reasonable time and getting the recommended number of hours of sleep, especially on the weekends.

Ice cream.

It is always okay to say no to things, but you can always try to say yes to more, too.