Jackie Bavaro
Try Saying Yes for Two Weeks
Inspired by Jackie Bavaro episode
Jackie's coach challenged her: say yes for two weeks. Turns out 'yes, I hear you' is different from 'yes, we'll do it.'
Jackie Bavaro was a no machine. Every request got shut down instantly. Her coach gave her a challenge: say yes for two weeks. Not yes we'll do it. Just yes, acknowledge, understand, consider.
You've become a parenting no machine. "No, we can't go to the park." "No, you can't have more snacks." "No, not that shirt." Your mouth says no before your brain even processes the question. Your toddler now starts every sentence with "I know you'll say no, but..." They've internalized your greatest hit.
Try saying yes for two weeks. Not yes to what they want. Yes to acknowledging they want it. "Yes, you want the park. We'll go after lunch." "Yes, you want snacks. Here's a carrot." It's the emotional equivalent of "I'll take that as feedback" in a product meeting. You're not agreeing to build the feature. You're just confirming you heard the request. The difference is they stop treating you like customer service for a company with a one-star Yelp review.
