The past three weeks have flown by in what feels like three minutes.
Each day has been action-packed and amazing, only to be surpassed by the excitement of the next.
Endless exhilarating endeavours.
Trying new things.
Having fun.
I genuinely believe that I have not felt bored once in the past three weeks.
Not even for an instant.
Exactly how I want my life to be.
There's a reason I want to live in the beautiful metropolitan chaos of New York.
I'm not really a quiet, rural small-town kinda guy.
I prefer being in the thick of it.
Anyway...
Three weeks ago yesterday, my fellow New York Aspirer flew all the way from Australia to visit me in England.
He not only stayed with my family, but almost became a part of it.
Likewise with my group of friends; it felt like he belonged.
If possible, our friendship and bond was strengthened even more.
I also feel like I learnt a lot from him.
Well, from him, and from Yes Theory.
Never heard of them?
Let me explain.
Put simply, they're a group of friends with a YouTube channel, and they aim to spread their message and ideas:
that we all need to try new things, meet new people and experiment
that we must break the chains of routine and monotony with spontaneity and excitement
that strangers are only friends we haven't met
that adrenaline, compassion and human connection are all key to a happy life
that we must push through feelings of fear and uncertainty to 'Seek Discomfort'
that we all need to say 'Yes' a whole lot more
They're genuinely incredible.
Some of the most empathetic, authentic and adventurous people on the Internet right now.
I cannot vouch for them enough.
CHECK THEM OUT! (Here)
Both me and my best friend from Australia have been inspired by their message.
Together, we have watched hours and hours of Yes Theory videos.
I can honestly say that their videos leave me in more of a positive frame of mind than anything else has ever been able to.
As much as we can, we have tried to adopt both their mantra of 'Seeking Discomfort' and their theory of saying 'Yes' to more things in our own lives.
So, during my friend's visit, we did all sorts of thrilling stuff together; pier jumps, getting tattoos, riding rollercoasters, sneaking in to luxury Mayfair car parks and a brilliant spontaneous late night camping trip, to name a few.
(Keep reading to see pictures of our tattoos at the end of the post!)
Essentially, following in the path of the Yes Theory Family, we New York Aspirers aimed to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and say 'Yes' to almost any opportunity.
Is this something you could do more often?
I bet it is.
Don't say no to something because of fear.
Don't look back on it in a week, or a year, and think 'what if...'.
Just say 'Yes'.
First of all it's rewarding.
Accepting a challenge, having that feeling of uncertainty in your gut, but pushing through it and doing it anyway.
It feels great.
Secondly, it's f*****g fun!
That adrenaline buzz is unbeatable, and you know it.
So, what is your biggest fear?
What makes you most uncomfortable?
Is it talking to strangers? Or public speaking?
For many, it's something generic like heights.
If so, I challenge you to go skydiving (which happens to be a HUGE wish of mine).
If that's not possible for whatever reason, then find the tallest thing in your local area - whether it be a building, mountain, ride or anything - and go up it!
Go Right At Your Fear.
That's what Seeking Discomfort means.
In exactly a week's time, I will leave the comfortable haven of my family home to travel up north to Liverpool, where I will be living alone as I embark upon my university degree.
(And no, I didn't just choose Liverpool University because of the football...)
For many, moving away from home in itself is a big step out of your comfort zone.
I agree, but I want to go one step further.
At university, I want to go out of my way to accept opportunities, meet complete strangers, and overcome any fears of public awkwardness or embarrassment.
The latter is a particularly irrational worry of mine, and one which I will try to conquer.
There is one thing I - and anyone else who struggles with this - must bear in mind, and that is this...
Nobody Cares.
Not in a harsh way, but nobody really cares what you look like, or dress like, or act like.
Everyone is too preoccupied with themselves - and whether or not they 'fit in' - to bother judging you.
It's human nature.
It also means that if someone sees your failure or embarrassment, it's only for a few seconds.
Soon, it'll be lost in the whirlwind of their own lives.
So don't be afraid to experience this 'humiliation'.
Instead, embrace it!
At university, I will try my best to adopt the 'Seek Discomfort' mantra.
I'm looking forward to the challenge.
I'd like to show some appreciation to both Yes Theory for being such a positive influence in my life, and my fellow Aspirer for being not only that, but also for the incredible last three weeks.
He's left now to visit his family in Sweden, but it's not quite goodbye yet...
Next Thursday, he'll return for one last night with me, my friends and my family in Brighton, before he flies back to Australia on Friday.
As it turns out, that will also be my last night in Brighton, before I travel up to university in Liverpool, on that same Friday.
Doesn't fate work in mysterious ways?
Remember that You'll Never Walk Alone.
Until the next time...
Alex (N.Y.A.)
P.S. - you've waited patiently, so here they are...
Something Extra
Ever heard of Jeff Bezos?
If not, you'll know his company, Amazon.
Yep, the world's largest and most successful online store, the one that sells absolutely everything.
One of the biggest keys to Amazon's success is the 'Institutional Yes', implemented by the founder and president Bezos.
Whenever a new idea is suggested the default answer must be 'Yes' — pushing the company towards pursuing new ideas.
By making it harder to say 'No', Amazon is able to test a greater number of ideas within the company, broadening their creativity and opening their minds to evolve and expand.
With a net worth of over $134 billion, you could say Bezos probably got it right with this one.
As a result of implementing the 'Institutional Yes', he was able to grow Amazon from his garage back in 1994 to a world-economy-dominating company now in 2019.
So, simply saying 'Yes' not only works in the spiritual aspect of our lives in making us happy and fulfilled, but it also works for creating success in the business world.
Just a little food for thought.