Say “Yes” To Life

The new book on the nightstand next to me is Sam Sheridan’s “The Heart of A Fighter”.
It’s an amazing look at the world of muay thai, kickboxing, Mixed Martial Arts, and more specifically tries to answer the questions “What does it mean to be a man?”
“What is courage?”
“What is bravery”?
It’s an amazing book that is part “Fight Club”, part “300″, part “On The Road”.
Here’s an extended quote that I really took to heart and really want to make a part of my life:

…I became involved in the trance club scene… and what became apparent was that these thousand kids tripping balls on ecstasy just want to feel something. They just want to feel as though everyone in the room understands then,and belongs, and that they belong, and, most important, that something is happening.
You have a specific responsibility to existence, to God if you like, to taste, touch, and smell what there is to experience. You have to do everything. If given an option between doing something and not doing it, you have to do it; because you’ve already done the “not do it” part. This can be juvenile and dangerous, I realize, and there are a lot of things that I have chose not to do, for a million reasons. I was raised polite. I’ve never hurt anyone, except guys i was sparring for fighting with. And I don’t take needless risks. The idea is to make it through intact; “safety” is my middle name. But I feel that you owe it to the world to be curious. Somebody asked me if I was looking for something. I am looking for everything.

Similar to Sheridan, I had a great childhood, led a blessed and charmed life, but always felt that there was something missing. Something inside of me, an itch that needed scratching. While I don’t think I need to go out and start a Fight Club or Project Mayhem of my own, I think that I owe it to myself to develop that curiosity that Sheridan talks about above.
Be curious.
And for me, most importantly, say “Yes” more often.

In my past, I loved to say “No”.
“No, I have to work tomorrow.”
“No, I have to finish this next chapter.”
“No, I am pretty sure your husband would not like us doing this.”

Okay, I’m kidding about the last one - slightly - but I’m sure you get the drift.
Playing it safe only gets you a safe, comfortable life.

Saying “Yes” gets you more fun, more adrenaline, more smooching, more laughter, more stories to tell later.

Say “Yes” to love, say “Yes” to sex, say “Yes” to a beer and a shot, say “Yes” to staying up late and getting up early.

It’s like George from “Seinfeld”, when he started doing the opposite.

Elaine : Ah, George, you know, that woman just looked at you.

Victoria : I’m Victoria. Hi.

This should be an interesting experiment.
I’ll still set aside time to write, to meditate, to workout, to do yoga, to get the job done, but it’s during those other hours, when I am usually saying “Yes” to the stupid TV or the stupid Internet, that I shall try to fill with something more fun.

Something I can say “Yes” to.