How to Be a Hell Yes to Life

How to Be a Hell Yes to Life

By Leo Babauta

…

Think about everything you complain about. Everything that makes you want to go, “Ugh.” Everything that makes you feel discomfort, want to avoid, want to exit(ˈeɡzət, ˈeksət). Everything ugly(ˈəglē), angry, negative.

Now imagine that you could be open to all of it.

You could be in a room of people you normally dislike, and be compassionate(kəmˈpaSHənət) with them. See their beauty and power. Love them, just as they are.

Love every experience, every moment, just as it is.

What if you could be a Hell(hel) Yes to everything? What would that change for you?

That doesn’t mean that you don’t fight against injustice(inˈjəstəs), or try to help those who are suffering. You don’t have to love injustice — but you can love the people who are suffering, even those whose suffering causes them to commit terrible injustices. You can be compassionate toward everyone, and love their hearts, even if you don’t agree with their actions or beliefs.

What if you could be a Hell Yes to all of the difficult things in life: your scariest(ˈske(ə)rē) project, the hardest tasks, the most boring moments?

The practice is to face everything, and to open up to it. To see the beauty in the moment, even in the parts you normally reject or dislike.

To love the parts of yourself that you usually want to change. To love everything.

Be a Hell Yes to life. In my experience, it becomes a Hell Yes to you in return.

https://zenhabits.net/hellya/