As a mother, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been advised to say no, to not spread myself too thin, and the like. Although this is sound advice and setting boundaries is vital, I recently started thinking in the opposite direction.

What if I accepted more offers to get out, meet new people, have new experiences, take on challenges, and to boldly go where many moms won't? Ya know, have some fun for a change and do something besides what I do e-ve-ry-day! The monotony makes my days run together. I can barely differentiate between a Tuesday and a Saturday! Oh, and forget about the date… you mean months come with dates??? Who knew?!

What If I Said Yes?!

You have no idea how many invitations I’ve turned down for one reason or another. If I could give you a concrete number, you’d roll your tired eyes and be done with me! Thinking back, it was probably for a reason like not having anything to wear, or being too lazy to shave or wash my hair. Admittedly, the preparation required for childcare and household stuff just so I could “go out” was enough to deter any onset of motivation!

I’m still slightly anal about my attire but I now consider those excuses nonsense. If I’m going to live life and experience more of what it has to offer, I need to start saying yes more damn often!

Making Changes

Les Brown says that we should “live full, die empty.” This has become my daily mantra. Family duties still demand my attention but the call of my spirit, my inner self, to LIVE and be true to ME beckons more loudly! I am a mother and partner gratefully, but I'm also an individual.

It takes courage and confidence, with a side of planning and multitasking, to live a full life. I’m keenly aware that familial responsibilities cannot be thrown to the wind but neither can your obligation to yourself. Isn’t one of the most powerful ways to show gratitude for your life, to enjoy it? This whole life thing is time sensitive and none of us know how much time we’ve been allotted.

So Now What?

When the opportunity presents itself to do something out of the ordinary, say YES! Even if you can’t afford to do it all of the time, ask others to step in when you are able to. You deserve to do more, to be more, and to have more.

In what ways can you live more boldly and confidently? Or have you already made that leap? How does it feel? Do tell!