Lifestyle: Saying Yes More

Aside from some exciting adventure plans, one of my personal goals for 2020 is all about saying yes more. Saying yes to more adventures, fresh challenges and new opportunities.

As someone with multiple hobbies, I quite often let the weather dictate my plans. This means last minute plans, late changes and often a lack of conviction on my part, in the knowledge things can so easily change. It can mean letting people down and it can mean missed opportunities. At the end of the day, planning life around an ever changing UK weather forecast is always going to be challenging! Let’s face it, conditions in the UK are rarely perfect so it can be a frustrating way to live life & can be disappointing when it leads to regret over missed opportunities.

But, the reward for living life like this is the breathtaking sunrises, paddling rivers at prime flows, riding bikes in pristine trails & camping out under incredible starry skies. And let me tell you – nothing beats those moments!

So it might be straightforward to say the easiest way to live an adventurous life is simply by saying yes more, by committing to a plan and sticking with it. But it isn’t always that simple. We all live busy lives and sometimes life constraints get in the way. Whilst we can’t say yes to everything that comes our way, we can choose to say no a bit too easily.

So to enact that & live an even more fulfilling life this year, I’ve pencilled something into my diary every weekend around existing commitments, that way I’ve always got a plan – something to say yes to. Of course, the flip side to that is when conditions don’t align with said plan & we’re right back to square one!

I guess my point in this blog is aimed a little wider, more about encouraging people to get outside and explore everything. It’s about saying yes to opportunity, last minute plans and getting out more, embracing the elements, meeting new people and trying new things. Sometimes just a little more motivation, or dedication is all that’s required.

Last summer I had a picture go a bit viral on Twitter, it was my bikepacking set up under the evening sunset whist on a midweek overnight mission on Helvellyn. So many people were commenting things like ‘goals…’, ‘that’s amazing…’ ‘I’d love to do that…’ blah blah blah. I already know all that, that’s why I’m doing it.

My question is ‘why aren’t you doing this, what’s stopping you?’.

If you see something that excites you like that then by all means, big people up and leave an encouraging comment. But for goodness sake, get out and do it yourself too! If it really is that dreamy and that much of a ‘goals’ to you, then what on earth is stopping you? It grinds my gears when people make it out like I’m doing something extraordinary and out of the reach of normal people. I’m a normal person, with a normal 9-5 job. I live in a normal working class area. I have the same normal 24 hours in a day as everyone else.

But here’s the thing, my life will never be defined or dictated by work – its dictated by my ambitions. I work to live. My 9-5 funds my 5-9, the 9-5 is just a bit of normality I need in life to keep me grounded. Finding a balance between the two is the key to happiness. I’m simply aspiring to build a life outside of work that allows me to pursue adventure as much as possible, to maximise the spare time given to me & to feel as fulfilled as possible at the end of each day. I dream big, if I want to do something then I write it down and make a plan to do it. It really is as simple as that.

I guess I’ve learnt to live this way after injuries and accidents that have changed my way of thinking about life. When you’ve been sat alone, unable to pursue the things you want, it only makes your drive to do them even stronger. Now I’m able again, I’ve committed to building a life that enables as much adventure opportunity as possible. I don’t wait for others to agree to a plan or a trip. If I have an idea in my head, it gets done. I much prefer to adventure with company, it makes every adventure twice as fun. But solo adventure is fulfilling in it’s own right & solo adventure is better than no adventure.

I do genuinely believe everyone has to hit rock bottom at some point in their life, no matter how trivial it may seem to someone else. When you’ve felt that crippling emotional feeling, you’ll know it – that’s the point your life changes. You find yourself & figure out a purpose in life & whatever it is you choose, you’ll find you never stop chasing it.

I choose not a life of comfort, but one of adventure and exploration. Saying yes means choosing a life where there are more unknowns that knowns, more late nights and early mornings on the pursuit of adventure; fuelled by coffee. I choose hours spent poring over maps and guidebooks, sketching up new ideas and routes rather than watching TV. I’ll never follow the crowd, I choose my own path and my own way of life. It’s a path I often walk alone, but I’d rather walk it alone that not at all. This only happens through choice, by saying yes more.

A lot of people look at me funny when I tell them my weekend & evening plans – who cares. I come into work each day feeling good about myself, feeling fulfilled, like I’m living with a purpose. I ride to work in all weathers, I run & cycle stupid distances, I take a lot of time for myself, I camp out under the stars during the week, I spent my house deposit money on a campervan. Normal people don’t do that – and they’re probably sensible. But where’s the fun in that?

When offered the chance to do something, say yes – what else are you doing? What will you be doing if you say no? Why should you say no? Start looking for the reason to do something, instead of why not to do something. Take a more positive outlook on everything.

So here’s to saying yes to that questionable late night after work adventure. Here’s to booking that flight and winging a trip on a hope and prayer. Here’s to spending money on the things you get most value & satisfaction out of. Here’s to living for the moments that make you smile later on. Here’s to chasing adventure, living tired and not regretting a thing. Here’s to saying ‘f*ck it, why not!’.

I guess what I’ve actually written in this post is a my very own Haynes manual on how to say yes more, rather than it just being a goal of mine! Well hopefully someone finds it inspirational!