I Didn’t Know What I Needed Until I Said Yes
Sometimes, life whispers before it roars.
You don’t always know you’re stuck until something nudges you forward. And more often than not, that nudge comes disguised as something small: an unexpected invite, a casual message, a flyer pinned to a coffee shop board.
It’s easy to say no. No is safe. Familiar. Predictable.
But what happens when you say yes, even when your first instinct is to retreat? You might just find the very thing you didn’t realize you were missing.
When a Hike Becomes a Healing
Jay hadn’t planned on healing.
After a breakup that left him gutted, he defaulted to solitude: work, commute, doom-scroll, microwave meals. Nights alone. Weekends evaporated into background noise. So when a coworker invited him on a weekend hike near Gatineau Park, his instinct was to pass.
Too much effort. Too many strangers. Too many feelings. But something stirred. A flicker of curiosity.
He said yes.
The trail was steep. His lungs burned. His muscles ached. But as they reached a bluff overlooking a fiery stretch of North American autumn forest, something shifted. The silence was crisp. Pine-scented air filled his lungs.
And then came the view golden leaves blanketing hills, a hawk gliding beneath them, the breeze brushing their jackets like breath. It didn’t fix everything. But it softened the noise inside him. That night, around a crackling fire, Jay told a story he hadn’t told anyone in months.
Someone listened. Someone nodded. Someone laughed. He didn’t realize how much he needed to be seen until he was.
Small Yeses, Big Shifts
Stories like Jay’s happen all the time.
A woman attends her friend’s open mic and finds herself weeping through a stranger’s song.
A student volunteers for a beach cleanup in Santa Monica and ends the day sunburned, muddy, and grounded for the first time in weeks.
Another person agrees to a last-minute road trip, and while watching a thunderstorm from the back of a van, feels the tension in their chest finally let go.
You don’t always know what the “yes” will lead to. But research shows: we’re far more likely to regret the chances we didn’t take. In one study, 76% of people said their biggest regret was not pursuing their ideal self, dreams, goals, or personal growth [1].
Wayne Gretzky said it best:
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”[2]
Cliché? Sure. But it still lands.
Saying yes doesn’t mean you’ll feel ready. It means you’re open to being surprised.
A quiet “yes” that led to stillness: catching her breath at the edge of Banff’s golden morning.
Why Yes Feels Like Magic
Novelty changes our brain. Trying something new releases dopamine, the reward chemical tied to motivation and joy [3].
That’s why a different view, an unplanned moment, or a sudden yes can lift a mood that’s been stuck for days. A new experience doesn’t have to be life-changing. It just needs to be life-noticing.
And saying yes cracks that door open.
Seven Gentle Yeses to Try This Week
Say yes to a spontaneous coffee or walk invite. Don’t overthink it.
Join a local drop-in class. Pottery, improv, or even a book club at your library.
Try late-night pizza in Chicago (or wherever your local craving hits). Embrace the experience, not the plan.
Volunteer for something small. A park cleanup, a bake sale, a free tutoring session.
Say yes to a digital invite. A Zoom art night, virtual trivia, or even co-working silently online.
Let a friend take the lead for a day. Be the yes-person on a micro-adventure.
Visit a part of your city you’ve never explored. Just walk. See what finds you.
These micro actions are seeds.
You don’t need to know what will grow, only that something might.
The Quiet Power of a Gentle Yes
Not all yeses are loud. Some are whispered.
A text arrives: Walk tonight?
Your gut says no. You’re tired. You’re off.
But something in you says: maybe. So you go.
It’s not epic. But you talk. You laugh. You move.
And afterward, the world feels just a little lighter.
Saying yes doesn’t fix everything. But it creates space.
Space for people, for movement, for clarity. Even for joy.
You Don’t Have to Know What You’re Looking For
We often wait for readiness. But readiness is a myth.
Clarity rarely comes before the leap.
It arrives mid-step, mid-sentence, mid-sunset.
That “yes” might not lead to your big life moment. It might just lead to a better one.
A clearer mind.
A new friend.
A spark you didn’t realize was missing.
All worth it.
Sources
1. Cornell Chronicle – Study on Ideal Self and Regret
2. Wayne Gretzky – Hockey Hall of Fame Quote
3. Psychology Today – “Why Novelty Feels So Good”