When was the last time opportunity came knocking on your door?

Did you answer it, or did you just continue on doing what it is you’ve always done?

Too many times we go through our lives following our day to day routine and forget that there are other opportunities out there.

We stay comfortable in the ordinary and forget that there are other extraordinary opportunities out there just waiting to be explored.

Focus On the Positive Outcomes

This week, I’m at a women’s retreat.

I only knew a handful of the women who were attending the retreat, but I showed up anyway.

In the past, I would have hesitated.

I would have told you that it would be uncomfortable for me.

I would have questioned whether or not I would fit into the environment and connect with the other women.

In essence, I would have asked all the limiting questions that come to your mind when a new opportunity presents itself.

As a side note, I’m not sure why it is that our mind is so quick to question. Still, it happens all the time.

And those questions can start to limit us if we allow them to determine our actions.  

Thankfully, I’m not the woman I used to be, so I embraced this retreat in full force.

I am happy to say that it has been the most amazing journey.

Hearing other women’s stories, sharing their experiences, and learning from them has already made a difference in my life.

These are the things we need to think more about when new opportunities present themselves.

Instead of thinking about all the things that could go wrong, we need to think about all the things we could gain by simply showing up.

Don’t Be Afraid to Say Yes!

When an opportunity presents itself, and you really want to do it, just say yes.

I truly believe that once you say yes, the rest of it will work itself out.

This has absolutely been true for me this week.

At 52 years old, I’ve made so many new friends—women I know I could reach out to if I needed something.

These are women who I could call if I had a question or just wanted to chat. They have become life-long friends.

Sadly, experiences like this don’t happen nearly as often as they should because we let our apprehensions keep us from saying yes.

When those new opportunities come knocking, we let our fears talk ourselves out of it and then we stay in our safety zone.

The best thing we can do when an opportunity presents itself is to stop worrying about all the details.

Stop wondering if we’re going to fit in.

Forget about the other women who may or may not be there.

Simply ask yourself if it’s even something you want to do.

And if the answer to that question is yes, then just do it!

When we embrace new opportunities, it really can be life-changing for us. But those life-changing moments can only come if we learn to say yes.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

When it comes to anything in life, we should focus on continuous learning and growth.

When we are willing to challenge ourselves, great things can happen.

Going into something new can certainly be outside of our comfort zone.

But when we are willing to take that first step, it makes everything worth it—especially because we are doing something for ourselves.

And whenever we do something good for ourselves, we will come out a better version of who we are on the other side.

New opportunities allow us to expand our understanding and find out what we are capable of.

We never know what we can do until we try. And there are so many different things to try.

Each time we try something new, it can help us to get out of our comfort zone.

Whether it’s running a 5K, hiking a mountain, meeting new friends, or just doing something out of the ordinary, it’s important that we try new things.

It’s in those new opportunities that we learn, grow, and become the best versions of ourselves.

That’s where we learn that we can make a change and become the change the world needs in the process.

My Challenge to You

It’s important to recognize that not all opportunities are created equal.

Sometimes, an opportunity will come, and it’s just not the right one for you.

It’s okay to say no to an opportunity when it doesn’t quite fit the direction you want to go.

But—I hope that when those life-changing opportunities do come, you won’t be afraid to say yes.

Ask yourself if you want it.

And if the answer is yes, don’t be afraid, and don’t shy away.

Simply say yes and take that first step out the door.