Say Yes!

Say yes!

This past weekend, I spend a night at my cousin’s place. The kids were upstairs with my parents, my cousin was cooking dinner for a party she was having the next day, my cousin's husband was working away on his laptop, and I was trying to digest an extremely tedious research paper .

After some time, my cousin called me over to ice some cupcakes she had made for the kids that would be demolishing her house the next day. My body and bad habits said “NO, thanks”, but my mind sort of said “Yes”. I had been aware that my cousin was slaving away preparing food and had not had anyone to talk to for the last couple of hours. I also reminded myself that her kids, who I adore, would be so happy to eat these cute little mini cupcakes. My mind overruled my body and I hauled myself over to the kitchen and began to ice cupcakes (and eat a few). I said "YES".

I didn’t realize I would have so much fun. My cousin and I became very creative with the limited icing resources we had: a butter knife, a can of chocolate icing, a tube of purple icing, sprinkles of various shapes , but not enough of each shape for consistency, and whatever else was lying around the kitchen.

Most of our cupcakes looked ridiculous, but colourful and cheerful. Nothing resembled those cupcake masterpieces you see on T.V., but we were having so much fun. My cousin’s husband, intrigued by the giggles and bored with his work, decided to join us. He was no master cupcake icer either, but he had fun, and so did we.

I learned a few things that night:

·        If you visit someone’s home, spend time with them. One of the best ways to spend time and bond with people is to work on a creative project together.

·        Don’t say "no" to an impromptu or spontaneous offer to do something creative, eg. ice cupcakes, make holiday decorations, etc. Being closed off to ideas can be a bad habit that manifests in other parts of your life. Be open minded.

·        Don’t be afraid to get down and dirty. That why washing machines and quilted paper towels were invented.

·        Laugh while you create. Laughter is definitely good medicine for mental and physical health, and it draws people towards you and what you are doing.

·        Experiment. Flex your exploring muscles. you'll find yourself saying "yes" to so many new ideas and opportunities.

·        You don’t have to be a perfectionist to be creative. There is no harm in not doing something well or correctly the first few times, or ever. My cupcakes were so messy, but I enjoyed myself none the less, and kids don't care what they look like!Some creative projects are can be fun regardless of how perfectly they turn out.

·        Say “yes” to trying something new. Make it a habit. It will bring joy and wonder into your life and create lasting memories.