Learning to say yes

I am, by nature, a no-sayer. A sayer of no. One who says no when she should say yes. I am an expert at coming up with excuses for why I can't do something with you today.  And it's not you, it's me. I swear. I don't know if I've always been that way, but I can tell you I have been that way for as long as I can remember.

Since moving to Alaska, far from anyone we knew, we have had to make some changes.  But it didn't happen right away, in fact our first year of homeschooling involved a lot of staying home.  Out of every three invites from friends to join in their fun, I typically accepted one.  Truth is, I like being home with my kids.  But slowly I began to see what we were missing.  My friends here are so good at  saying yes.  Whether it's crafting or hiking or swimming or playing...they say YES.  And while it feels like I'm going against my nature sometimes....I am learning to say yes. 

It was hard for me at first, and I realized that in part it was because I felt I had too much to do before I could go out and play.  But now, since downsizing to the houseboat, there is just no excuse.
I feel like I have done more in the four months we've lived on the boat than I have in the two and a half years we've lived here! All in all, it's been pretty wonderful.  Letting go of the large house, the stuff, the classes, the time consumers...it has freed us up in so many wonderful ways. 

We have learned to say yes when opportunities arise.  That might be the biggest change of all...and I'm just not sure that would be true if we hadn't made this huge step to simplify our lives.