Yes is the new no...

'I wasn't open to stuff before. Now I am and things are changing for me."

- Jim Carrey, Yes Man, opening 12/19/08

Think of all the times we said "no" instead of "yes" to good things that had come our way.

What would life be like if we had only said yes?

How many times could "yes dear, I'll make time for us to take that trip/go to dinner/catch a movie" have improved the marriage or relationship?

What kind of adventure did we miss out on because we couldn't bring ourselves to say, "yes, I am open to relocating for the promotion?"

How many times did we chip away at our own heart by not being able to simply say, "yes, in fact I do have some change to spare."

For many people "no" has become a way of life and they don't even realize it.

No, I don't have time.

No, I can't move.

No, I don't have any change.

No, no, no, no, no. We say it endlessly. Flipping that "no" into a "yes" is the premise behind Jim Carrey's new movie Yes man. In it, Carrey plays a guy who turns his life completely around for the better by saying "yes" to everything for six months.

Some people are probably already saying no, they would never be interested in seeing this kind of movie because it's too unrealistic.

They would be wrong.

The movie is based on the real life escapades of British journalist and comedian Danny Wallace.

"I, Danny Wallace, being of sound mind and body, do hereby write this manifesto for my life. I swear I will be more open to opportunity. I swear I will live my life taking every available chance. I swear I will say yes to every favour, request, suggestion and invitation," he writes on http://www.dannywallace.com/Books.aspx

The results are captured in his book which shares the same title as the movie. Wallace goes from being a grumpy, depressed working stiff to a guy who lives the adventure life has to offer. He wins $45k, rockets up the corporate ladder, travels the world, finds love, etc... All by learning how to say yes instead of no. And he doesn't tell anybody he is doing it either.

We could do the same in our own lives. Pick a month, a week, a day, heck even an hour where saying yes replaces the automatic no to opportunity in life.

Make yes the new no in your personal vocabulary. And get ready to experience life in ways that you may have only dreamed of before now.

Enjoy!

p.s. get pumped up with saying yes here http://yesisthenewno.warnerbros.com/