“Just Say Yes!”, a Lesson From My Grandmother

Note: This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click on a link and purchase an item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

My grandmother Bernice, is one of the happiest and most universally loved people that I’ve ever met. And she has one unorthodox piece of advice that has helped me and will likely help you!

Her advice: When someone invites you to do something, just say yes! Her philosophy behind this is that if you decline someone’s invitation, you may never get invited again. So, my grandmother pretty much just accepts everything!

And it is certainly one of the reasons why she’s universally loved (and has a lot more friends than I do!).

She told me about this in 2011, but I didn’t start applying it until last year. This simple shift has led to many lifelong friendships and unique experiences.

Notably, I hiked a 12,000 ft volcano in Indonesia (even though I don’t enjoy hiking), with two people who are now very close friends. I also accepted an invite (from someone who I met once, more than five years ago) to live with her fiancé’s family in Bangalore, India. I ended up having an amazing time, eating incredible homemade Indian food, and building a deep bond with her fiancé.

Next time you get an invitation to do something that you would normally say no to, just say yes! And please share the story with me :). I promise you will find, as I have, that you will build deep bonds with others and you’ll create memorable new experiences!

📷: Matthew Train

I've been building digital businesses, wandering the world, and writing about optimizing life for freedom since early 2017. My mission is to lower the barrier for people who want to live with more freedom: whether that be as an entrepreneur, a digital nomad, an early retiree, or just as someone who wants to live a happiness-driven life.