No!

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a cold, rainy Friday afternoon. I just finished with my last client of the day. It was time to go home to the wife and have a cozy dinner in front of the fireplace. And then I got a call from a long time client. She said she needed to see me, because it was an emergency. I told her if it were a true emergency, she could come the my office now. So, I sit and wait…

She arrives at my office, soaking wet. A scene from out of a movie. I give her a towel and she sits down. She said her boyfriend said no to their ongoing discussion about marriage. She was devastated. She explained that she felt like she wasted 4 and a half years of her life. Meanwhile, across the globe, a gentleman who was in the army was begin discharged, and on his way back to the states. They had never met, despite living in the same town their entire lives. Her world was about to change, yet again.

Long story short, they eventually met by chance, of all places, in a coffee shop. Another scene from out of a movie. They dated, got engaged and married within a year. A few years later, they welcomed their first child. Today, they are an active force in the community, have a house, 4 kids and own a business. A far cry from when she was sitting in my office that rainy Friday afternoon.

What is my point? My point is that “no”, is not the end of the world. Too many people see the loss, and not the lesson. Being told no is a part of life. I bet if you trace back the many paths you have taken, you will find “no’s” that lead to something better. Maybe not in all cases. But probably more than a few. 

If we look at the “no’s” as a springboard to the next level of our lives, the “no’s” become less intimidating. “No’s” aren’t the end of the world. They are just the beginning of the next chapter. Forget the loss. Embrace the lesson. Who knows. Your “yes” may be just around the corner.