The Griffin Editorial: Nothing to lose and everything to gain

As much as it hurts to quote Jacob Elordi in a post-“‘Wuthering Heights’” world, he offered an extremely valuable piece of advice when he said, “Embarrassment is an under-explored emotion.” Lately, social media has been trending with videos of people asking for random opportunities to numb the dejection of being denied. What they’ve found instead is that they were consistently surprised by how many times they heard yes. 

  More often than we realize, we construct our own barriers. We don’t consider that things are even possible and sell ourselves short before a question ever leaves our lips. When we do this, we’re taking ourselves out of the race – the only obstacle is our imagined reality. We fear “no” so much that we don’t give “yes” a chance. There are infinite doors of opportunity, and you have to let yourself reach for their handles. 

There’s a phrase floating around that asks, “What if everything goes right?” So take the first step. Most people are inclined to help others, build connections and foster those moments of growth. Open yourself to opportunity and let your “why not?” be met with someone else’s. This is how you form a community, meet people, learn things and most importantly, seize incredible moments that open up your world. Conquering embarrassment is the best way to grow and create memories to last a lifetime. Not to mention, most times we have nothing to lose by asking. Recently, The Griffin traveled to California, and on a visit to In-N-Out, our staff asked how to acquire one of their iconic paper hats. What was friendly In-N-Out employee Nate’s answer with a joyful smile? “Just ask,” of course. It became a cherished motto of the entire trip – in the face of possible embarrassment or rejection, just asking can overcome barriers (and get yourself a cool memento in the process).

Most times we not only have nothing to lose, but also everything to gain. My uncle Fitz has gone on countless wild adventures and ended up in places I can’t fathom – baseball games with John Elway, pouring a shot for Jane Goodall, white-water rafting with the Bidens – but whenever you ask him how he gets there, he just says he talks to everyone the same way he talks to his friends. He is never afraid to strike up a conversation or ask something. He once got a bunch of free bear spray from TSA agents with a little charisma and the simple courage to just ask. He’s an inspiration to live by, and his life is evidence. 

Our lives are made rich by the adventures we take. On a trip to Montreal, some members of The Griffin staff decided to go “lore farming.” A beautiful sentiment cloaked in brainrot, the motto is a testament to living your life to the fullest, making memories and being willing to experience, in the truest sense of the word. Don’t be afraid to be a little silly, a little cringe and very bold. At the very least, you’ll have a good story, and at most, be an interesting person with a life well-lived.

Recently, I took a shot in the dark calling a veterinarian to see if I could climb on his horse statue to recreate a famous painting- and to my surprise he said yes (as long as I showed him the picture afterwards). The “rejection therapy” TikToks my mom sends me are worth their salt. It is so easy and rewarding to tell anxiety to piss off and to be a little braver.  So the next time that you’re faced with a decision between yes or no, ask yourself “why not?” You might just find yourself hearing “You know what, you’re right– why not” and create some memories.

-LAM