Say YES!
I have found that the universe has a way of opening the right doors for you. But only if you let it. As Joseph Campbell put it, “…follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be. “
In my experience, that means say YES to all opportunities that present themselves! This is especially salient for those who may not yet know what feeds their soul—their bliss. College dropout Steve Jobs famously sat in on a calligraphy class at Reed College, inspiring him to develop multiple typefaces for the first Mac computer, which Windows later mimicked. In other words, saying YES leaves the possibility for the right doors to open and potentially change the course of your life, even the course of history.
Indeed that is how I ended up in Delhi, where I am currently working for a venture philanthropy fund and policy think tank focused on education reform in India. As my internship in public affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, was coming to a close in early 2014, I submitted applications to more than 70 jobs around the world in the fields of international education and cultural diplomacy. I cast my net wide, saying YES to any opportunities that came across my radar, including the AIF Clinton Fellowship, which a former fellow suggested I apply for. Accepting this position is sure to change the course of my life and hopefully those I’m here to serve.
In short, you may not know how saying YES is relevant to the bigger picture of your life. But there’s really only one way to find out.
Stay tuned for the final installation of my series, The Pillars of Happiness. In the meantime, inspire me! I’d love to hear how your decision to say YES has revealed or transformed your bliss?
