My Favourite Yes Theory Videos: Embracing Discomfort and Adventure

My favourite Yes Theory videos always push the boundaries of comfort and highlight the beauty of spontaneous adventure and human connection. Below is a list of my favourites.

Tonight, during dinner with my sister-in-law and her 15-year-old daughter, we watched two Yes Theory videos where the crew went to China.

In the first, Stefan, one of the team members, embarks on a solo journey. He invites a stranger to jump on a plane with him and fly three hours north of Shanghai to a province known as the most beautiful place in China.

The second video features the crew and a couple of their Chinese friends. Their mission was to host a party and invite strangers to it, all at a stranger’s house in Shanghai. They pulled this off in less than 72 hours, which was pretty incredible.

These videos reminded me of the fantastic things that can happen when you open yourself up to opportunity and live by the Yes Theory mantra of seeking discomfort. It was super cool.

Before Yes Theory, there was Couch Surfing

My sister-in-law, who watched the video with me, asked if I would do that. I told her I’d hosted over 60 strangers on my couch while living in Toronto for a year or two as a Couchsurfing host. It was an experience that truly opened me up.

Living alone in a new city and country, a friend from Sydney introduced me to Couchsurfing.com, which changed my life. It allowed me to embrace seeking discomfort, meeting new people, and making friends from different cultures.

Hosting all these people and being hosted in return taught me that despite our differences in appearance or background, we all share similar ambitions and desires. We all want love and connection and have dreams and goals.

Kindness, empathy, and shared experiences connect us deeply as humans. Through Couchsurfing, I made lifelong friends worldwide.

This experience led me to other adventures like free hugs events and even a cross-Canada RV trip with five other Couchsurfers from Toronto to Vancouver in just over a week. It was an adventurous time filled with unforgettable moments.

I admire the Yes Theory crew for their decade-long journey of inspiring stories. They remind me that living a life open to magic, spontaneity, and stepping out of our comfort zones leads to incredible growth and learning. It’s not always easy; challenges and frustrations are part of the journey. But in the end, it’s all worth it.