What A Series of Yeses Got Me

Moving out of my comfort zone means saying yes to things I’d normally say no to.

Let me tell you a story.

I was invited to a breakfast networking event to be held in the Galleria at 7:30 in the morning. I got the invite the night before while I was in the stands cheering for our JV football team. My first response was heck no. The event was going to be held in the Galleria which is no where near my home and the morning commute is horrible.

But I considered who sent it to me. This is someone I’m not particularly close to but they thought the event was a good fit for me. I took it as a sign to go. So I get dressed and make it to the event on time (which is a miracle in itself) and I message my contact and tell them I had arrived. They were to give me my ticket. I find out that my ticket had been given away (my acceptance message was seen too late) and I’m getting hot. I just drove all the way to kingdom come in the worst traffic and I don’t have a ticket?

I had just paid for valet parking and I was fuming.

I quickly made up my mind that I was not going back all the way home. I had already made a dry run to the area that week when a lunch date ended up at the wrong location.

So I ask the hostess how much the tickets were while I speculated just how much this was going to cost me.

She said the event was free.

My meltdown was unwarranted. I took some deep breaths, centered myself and let go of the really bad attitude that had quickly formed.

I go in, take my seat and the wisdom and information I gain more than make up for the drama of actually getting there. No lie. I was in a room with some influential folk and the wisdom they poured is still blessing my life.

My yes and my perseverance had paid off.

But the day wasn’t done.

I was walking to the valet to get my car and a woman comes behind me and asks if we had met before.

She looked familiar. I asked her name and upon her response I immediately I knew where we had connected.

We got reacquainted and she told me she was happy for the reconnect. So was I.

When I first met this woman, I wasn’t in a good headspace at the time. I had lots of throwed-off thinking to reconcile. I didn’t see the value of the connection. To be quite honest I was intimidated.

But there we were, my head screwed on straight this time, chatting away when she invited me to an event the very next morning…again in the Galleria.

Ugh.

But I graciously accepted the invitation.

I was glad I had valeted my car because otherwise I would have missed her.

The next morning I’m up early and out the door and arrive at the venue again on time. With it being a weekend the commute was a breeze.

It was a great event and I’m glad I went.

At the end of the event, I recognized one of the vendors. I go and greet her and we hug and chat! She asked me if knew the host and I tell her yes; that we had just reconnected the day before.

Well, without me saying anything or promoting myself, it looks like I might have a speaking gig lined up for next year.

All because I said yes. And because I delivered as a speaker where the vendor heard me speak a few years before.

I said yes to the early morning networking meeting that was an eternity away from my domicile.

I said yes to valet parking.

I said yes to the idea of having to pay for a ticket but thankfully didn’t have to.

I said yes when a woman asked if we had met before.

I said yes to reconnecting with this incredible woman because I was ready for the relationship.

I said yes when she invited me to an event the next morning.

I said yes when asked if I could speak in 2016.

Look what a series of yeses brought!

I shudder to think what would have happened if I operated within my normal…my comfort zone and had said no to the original invite. If I had let the thought of traffic keep me from a whole lot of good stuff I didn’t even know God had prepared for me.

To get to the good stuff, sometimes you’ll be inconvenienced (OK, a lot of the time). You’ll have obstacles to overcome and you’ll have to keep your cool. You’ll have to say yes to stuff that you normally wouldn’t say yes to.

On the other side of that yes is likely the answer to a whole lot of your prayers.

#ThisWomanKnows