1. It’s never too late to start

Everyone has a dream. Unfortunately, many people go their entire life living according to the status quo. They live in fear of what others would think of them, and so they get to the end of their life regretting that which they did not do.

However, this does not have to be your story. It will not be my own story. Now is all we ever have, so why not start now?

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” -Zig Ziglar

Why worry about what others think? Why compare yourself to others? It is useless to do so. Everyone is on their own time table.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can always start something new.

2. Action is the antidote to despair

When you are feeling depressed, the best feeling in the world is to just get moving. Exercise is amazing, no matter which way you enjoy it. I don’t think anyone can deny that working up a sweat feels much better than letting your own negative thoughts beat you up on the couch.

The antidote to despair doesn’t even have to be exercise. From what I’ve learned, just getting out and doing stuff can get your creativity going. Instead of falling into a creative drought, you could get out and do things even if you don’t know what your goals are yet.

“Ideas don’t come out fully formed. They only become clear as you work on them. You just have to get started.” -Mark Zuckerberg

Everything is not hopeless, and there are plenty of things you can do to get things going again. In a creative sense, just getting out and shooting things with your camera can help develop your ideas for what you want to share with the world.

Just do something, anything that gets you going.

Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash

3. Joy grows when it’s shared

Joy is simple. It is a state of happiness and of bliss. When I think about joy, I think about the times I’ve been with others I care about, when we’ve scored a victory or had a shared happiness over something.

This point is likely more obvious than the rest, but it is still powerful. Sure, I am perfectly capable of feeling joyful and happy on my own, but when I have friends that share that feeling of joy it becomes all the more wonderful.

Happiness can never diminish when it is shared, it only ever grows as it is divided among people.

4. One “YES” can change your life

As their name suggests, Yes Theory is all about saying YES to life. Saying YES to new experiences and saying YES to getting out of your comfort zone can only ever lead to great things.

Think about it- when did you ever have fun when you said no? (Ok, I can think of a few times that saying ‘No’ has felt better, but I’m talking about getting out of your comfort zone!)

Saying “No” is dissapointing. Saying “No, I won’t go out and have fun, I’d rather just sit at home” may feel good at the time, but it lacks excitement and thrill. When someone invites you out, wouldn’t it be more fun to go have that experience, despite your nerves? I’ve said “No” many times before, but often that just leads me into more boredom.

The next time you have the choice between following your routine vs taking a risk, try taking a risk. One “Yes” could lead you into a fantastically beautiful new relationship, or it could lead you into an entirely different job in your dream city, or it could be something as simple as just having a fun night out.

Photo by Haut Risque on Unsplash

5. A stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet

Let’s face it- the world is full of division. We are all human, and yet the world makes many people forget that fact. People become hateful towards people they don’t even know, and their is a severe shortage of empathy that unfortunately plagues society more and more.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can be friendly toward people we don’t even know. Strangers are just other people trying to make it through the world. We may all have different views on things, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do random acts of kindness for others.

Just like how “joy grows when it’s shared”, reaching out to a stranger to brighten up their day adds to the joy in the world for everyone around you. It brightens up the strangers day, it brightens up your day, and it even shows hope for those looking on. The world needs more unity. I think if everyone thought of strangers as friends, the world would be so much better.

6. On the other side of fear holds ultimate bliss

Fear is a funny thing; as a natural response, it often protects us from danger, but it can also be a serious impediment, preventing us from living the life of our dreams. In one respect, it keeps us alive, but in another way, it keeps us from living.

I know there are many people who are afraid of heights, or of falling. This is a common fear, but when it comes to diving, bungee jumping, and sky diving (to list a few), you have to jump if you want to have the most fun. You have to jump, or you’ll never experience all that life has to offer. This is a metaphor for life.

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” -Jack Canfield

In life, taking risks will always allow you to grow immensely. You have to take a chance on your dreams, you have to put aside the fear of what others think of you, you have to quiet the anxiety in your head and just go for it. There is no bliss in hesitating and pondering if you should do what you want or not.

You have to be able to GO. The hesitation is the thing that really messes up the chance at having your dreams. Get out of the middle! -Will Smith

7. Seek Discomfort

Above all else, get out of your comfort zone. Try new things. Go on adventures. Seeking discomfort is all about these things, it is all about changing your life by pursuing and attacking what you fear most. And this is why Yes Theory is such a big inspiration for me.