The Summer of Yes: What Happens When You Say Yes to Your Own Voice

It started with a girl’s trip to Dollar Tree.

Not a big deal. Not some major moment.
Just me and one of my best girlfriends—wandering through aisles of glassware, snack trays, and random treasures we didn’t know we needed.

That’s the thing about Dollar Tree.
It’s like a scavenger hunt.
Every location is different.
You never know what you’ll find, and when you find just the right thing—it feels like a tiny miracle.

And tucked behind some garden plastic and bubble wrap, I found them:
These perfect little glass bottles—curved just right, sun-catching, elegant.

I picked one up and knew:
This summer, I’m making infused olive oils.

I Said Yes Before I Had a Reason

I didn’t have a plan.
Didn’t know which herbs I’d use.
Didn’t have a guest list or an event or a reason to even be thinking about giftable oils.

But I said yes.

Yes to the vision.
Yes to the desire.
Yes to the version of me who has a kitchen that smells like rosemary and lemon and basil because she decided it would.

And that yes… turned into everything.

Saying Yes Is Not Just for Big Life Decisions

This summer, I’m not just saying yes to business wins and new clients.
I’m saying yes to me.

To the slow walks.
To the good fruit.
To the laughter that makes me throw my head back and clap my hands like I’m five again.
To buying flowers at Trader Joe’s just because.

I’m saying yes to who I am when I’m not rushing.
To who I am when I’m not performing.
To who I am when I’m creating—not proving.

Yes is a Form of Return

There was a version of me who used to say yes to everything except herself.

Yes to being available.
Yes to being the helper.
Yes to the double-booked schedule and the silent resentment.
Yes to other people’s plans, pressure, and projections.

And now?

I’m saying yes to:

Clear boundaries
Slow mornings
Soft rejections of what no longer fits
And sweet, sacred indulgences that make me feel seen

The infused olive oils.
The perfume-making class.
The balcony updates.
The second batch of pickled onions because the first ones were just that good.

None of these were planned.
But they were whispered to me.

And I said yes.

When You Say Yes to Your Own Voice, Life Says Yes Back

It’s wild what starts to flow when you stop waiting for permission.

When you decide that joy doesn’t need to be justified.
When you stop postponing pleasure until the to-do list is empty.
When you let your desires lead sometimes—not your obligations.

Suddenly…

Clients show up without a pitch.
Conversations get deeper and more nourishing.
You trust yourself more.
And the mirror starts reflecting a woman who feels like herself again.

That’s the magic of a real yes.
It rewrites everything.

This Is My Summer of Yes

Yes to softness.
Yes to sacred boundaries.
Yes to the new contracts and the unspoken declarations that brought them in.
Yes to watermelon with lime juice.
Yes to open windows, slow playlists, and conversations that feel like exhale.

Yes to being 50 and fine and finally feeling like me.

Because when I said yes to me, I remembered something I almost forgot:

I get to choose the life I live.
And I can make it beautiful—on purpose.

Let’s Talk About It

What’s one “yes” you’ve whispered to yourself lately?

Was it small? Was it loud? Was it overdue?
Drop it in the comments and name it. Claim it.

You don’t have to earn your yes.
You just have to honor it.

Slower, Wealthier, Happier