Outdoor Orchestras and Saying Yes

I’m gazing up at the striking blue sky of Central Australia. My vision is guided by the looming red walls of Simpsons Gap. White, fluffy clouds drift overhead. The breeze picks up and I huddle even more under my thin blanket. The sounds of the AS World Chamber Orchestra wash over me. The soothing, deep sounds of the cello. The dancing of the flutes. The sparkling sounds of violins resonate off the red cliffs. This is probably one of the best Saturday mornings I’ve had in a long time. It’s probably one of my more unique Saturday mornings too.

Earlier this week I made the decision to start saying ‘yes’. In theory, this sounds like an easy thing to do. Next time someone invites you to an event just say ‘yes’, don’t even think about it. Not even 10 minutes after telling myself that this is what I was going to start doing my resolve tested. One of my outgoing friends sent links to a series of local events happening over the next few weeks on the group chat. A triathlon event. A full moon meditation. An outdoor orchestra concert starting at 7 am on a Saturday morning.

I instantly wanted to say ‘no’ to everything. ‘It sounds great but I’m not interested’. It sounds like too much effort. I forced myself to put my phone down and take a couple of breaths while I counted to ten. Why was I instantly saying ‘no’ to doing these things. Was it the early morning starts? Was it that I haven’t been running this week? Was it that I genuinely wasn’t interested?
I came to the conclusion that my excuse of it being just too much effort was really because I strongly dislike (read: fear) changes in my routine. But isn’t that the entire point of living? Or at the very least, of this blog? To force myself into life?

I contemplated the three events and came to a compromise with myself. I decided that while I have decided to start saying ‘yes’ actively to events I have been invited to, I didn’t have to say ‘yes’ to all three of these ones. I could just pick two. So after reviewing each Facebook event in detail I decided to accept the invites to the orchestra and the meditation.

There is genuinely something so restorative and calming about laying on a picnic blanket listening to beautiful instrumental music. Connecting with the natural beauty of my land through silent contemplation and music was such a wonderful experience, and it just reinforced the importance of saying ‘yes’ to new events and experiences.
When was the last time you sad ‘yes’ to a new event or experience?