While you’re waiting on a sign from the universe, the universe is waiting on your yes.
I repeat, the universe is waiting for you to make a decision. It’s waiting for you to rise to the occasion; to commit to all the things you hoped, prayed, and even cried about when nobody was looking.
I’ll be the first to admit that I relied too heavily on signs. That’s especially true when it came to jobs, but it didn’t stop there. Once, on vacation, a rainbow became a sign that things were going to turn around for me.
Granted, it took a couple of years, but it has turned around. My life is completely different than what it was last year and definitely five years ago. Heck, I’m a completely different person.
But when the opportunity to go to Spain presented itself, I almost let it slip away. I resorted to the same decision-making skills that held me back for years if I’m being honest. The crazy part is, that very morning, I was texting my little sister about places I wanted to travel. Spain wasn’t on my list, but a visual for traveling has been on every vision board I created since 2013.
For some context:
Earlier this year, I organized a small happy hour to celebrate my boss’ birthday. Over nachos, truffle popcorn, and rosé, my boss mentioned that she’d be alone on her birthday trip. You should know that my boss is remote most of the year. So, it wouldn’t be anything for someone to join her and work remote, too. Knowing this, I turned to her boss and jokingly said, “she’s practically asking if I can go with her.”
She shrugged saying, “I don’t care where you work.” A couple of minutes later, my boss turned to me and said, “I challenge you to find a last-minute flight.”
Before I knew it, my coworkers were handing me their phones so that I could check prices on their travel apps. Even though I found deals that I could afford, I had every excuse under the sun.
“I’m not an impulsive person. I need time to think about it. I just came back from St. Maarten.”
I didn’t even consider going until a coworker made me realize the rarity of the opportunity. “You work hard so you can have f*ck-it moments,” she said. “When are you ever going to work for a boss that invites you to vacation with her and where her boss genuinely doesn’t care where you are?”
Truth is, even though I envisioned a life where I’d be able to travel, I’ve never ever had the option to say yes. I’m not afraid to say that this year is the first time in nine l o n g years that I’ve been able to provide for myself. Without knowing it, I was allowing my past story to dictate my present possibilities. I was so comfortable saying no because of lack of means that saying yes felt reckless, irresponsible, and selfish.
When I got home, I found a direct flight to Madrid for less than $350. At that price, I couldn’t not go, right? It was just one round-trip flight, but in hindsight, I now know it was so much more.
Buying that ticket, meant saying yes to the life I always envisioned. It meant releasing control of the situation and leaning in to figuring out the details later. It meant that I could stop allowing the person I’d been to deter me from the woman I was becoming. All I had to do was say one syllable and one word, but with three letters instead of two.
That’s all.
This time, not out of default, but because the universe is waiting on it. What’s more, I’ve been waiting on it, too. I choose to say yes and accept the challenge. Will you?
