YES MAN YES MAN YES MAN

Last night, I watched Yes Man with Jim Carrey, a film that dives into the life of Carl Allen, a man stuck in a rut, who decides to say "yes" to everything for an entire year after attending a self-help seminar. The premise is simple but powerful: by saying "yes" to life, Carl breaks free from his monotonous routine, opening himself up to new experiences, relationships, and ultimately, a more fulfilling existence.

As I watched, I realized how closely this concept of saying "yes" aligns with the idea of surrender - a spiritual concept i’ve been hyper focused on the last 6 months. 

True surrender, similar to yes man, is about accepting what life places before you (whether you like it or not), and responding with a wholehearted "yes.” before plunging into action.

Throughout the film, Carl's journey mirrors this notion of surrender. He lets go of his rigid control and embraces what life offers him, leading to unexpected growth and joy. 

He says yes to a homeless man’s request to drive him across town, which leads to him running out of gas… he’s pissed - but then on his trek to the gas station, he meets the love of his life who then drives him back to his car on her scooter in a wildly electric love scene. And they make out.

He randomly signs up for guitar lessons despite zero personal interest, and it later helps him in getting a man to stop himself from committing suicide by singing him off the ledge. 

He also says yes to a sexual encounter with a very elderly lady which he didn’t want to, but it ends up in credibly positive. I’ll let you watch the move for yourself to see what happens for that one.

However, towards the end, the film suggests that the secret to being a "yes man" is not to say yes to everything, but only to things that align with your heart.

This is where I diverge from the movie's conclusion.

In reality, true surrender transcends following your heart, which is often reactionary and driven by fleeting emotions and desires. The film ALMOST got it, about 80% of the way there.

Genuine surrender is about tuning into a deeper knowing, an awareness beneath the surface of thoughts and feelings. It's about observing what life presents to you and embracing it fully, without filtering it through the lens of personal preference or emotional impulse.

This concept of surrendering to the flow of life, rather than simply listening to my emotions and my heart, led me to create music, which has been the most powerful creative state I've ever experienced.

My heart was actually afraid to dive into music, pushing me away from it.

However, I had a deeper knowing that this was something I had to pursue. Following this deeper knowing, I created and released the song "Wait For It." The process was incredibly inspiring, and the positive response from the world was a testament to the power of surrender.

Similarly, this deeper understanding of surrender brought me back to 8AM. By not simply following my heart, but instead tuning into a deeper awareness, I found a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

If you're interested in exploring these concepts further and supporting your own creativity, consider joining The 8AM App. Use the code arlin2024 to try the first month for just a dollar. It's a space where we delve into ideas like surrender and spirituality, fostering an environment that nurtures original thought and creativity.

Best,  

Arlin

ps - here’s that scene