For some of you who have given away your 'YES' in 2018, for the New Year let the focus be on valuing your YES.
According to Oxford dictionary, yes is a word “used to give an affirmative response.” It is sometimes very easy to respond in the affirmative without engaging the mind in the outcome of our decisions. In the past year, you may have committed and over extended yourself out of loyalty, blindly giving your time, energy and efforts to activities without much thought. At some point we are all guilty of this, using the surface topical area of thought to simply eliminate the yes or no options and make quick selections.
In this New Year, the only thing that will bring you the desired results is intentional focus, planned pointed steps, and tenacity in the pursuit of your vision. Place a high value on your 'yes'. Discounting it will allow you to give it away cheaply at the expense of moving away from your results.
Let’s dive into this thought of valuing your 'yes' a bit more and how it links to your purpose. Purpose is the reason for which a thing is created. Design is also a clue to purpose. We are all uniquely designed for a specific purpose. At this point, your life taps into an area of fulfillment, where you feel like your contribution to the world is meaningful. The reward for this is making the difference in the life of someone else. Once you know your purpose, then you can flow in your area of design.
Think about a table. Who told you that a square, rectangular or circular things with legs was a table? Can you recall? I’m not sure how I first learned the word, but I do know the manufacturer had a functionality in mind when it was designed. They also found a name suitable, and gave it that name and its purpose. Now I’m sure you have seen people stand or even sit on tables, which is not its original intent and design. Though inanimate, the table is now undervalued even though it can be effective for things other than its purpose.
Now put yourself in the equation.
Sure, there are a number of activities, careers, businesses, events, programs etc. you can give your 'yes' to and become a part of, but have you thought about how this puts you closer to your overall goal and pairs with your purpose?
As the incredibly multi dimensional individual you are, there needs to be a higher value placed on the people, places and things you give your 'yes' to.
Ask yourself these simple questions to make the assessment easy:
1. Is this something that contributes to my overall growth and development?
2. What is my why for saying yes?
3. Does this bring me closer to or further away from my goals?
You can probably come up with other possibilities and questions to trigger deeper assessments before committing. My main aim for writing this article is to bring an awareness of the power of your 'yes'.
If you don’t value your 'yes', it will be sold out cheaply. Don’t put your 'yes' on sale at the detriment of your dreams.
Crisha Sarah Bowen, Bsc, MSMEM, SHRM-CP
CSB Career Lifestyle
Purpose & Life Stylist