If It’s Not a Hell Yes, It’s a No
How One Simple Philosophy Led Me Across the Globe
“I’ve always wanted to spend summers in my hometown in Türkiye,” my boyfriend of a few months said to me. “Would you be interested?”
For years, being location-independent was on my vision board. I had finally made it happen in my own creative way, but I’d never been to Türkiye and knew little about it. Still, something about his proposition felt like a *hell yes*.
At the time, I had been living in Miami for about five years. Miami was where I reinvented myself in 2017, transitioning from an insurance supervisor to a self-employed creative entrepreneur. I was producing events, coaching creatives, and DJing some of the most magical rooftops and lounges in the city. My calendar was full with regular residencies multiple nights a week. It was exciting—until it wasn’t.
The glitz and glam began to wear off. I started dragging myself to gigs, feeling uninspired and unmotivated to market my services. The thought of planning another event felt overwhelming. That’s when I turned to a simple mantra I had adopted: *“If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no.”*
So, I packed my bags and left Miami.
That summer, I spent a couple of months in İzmir and fell completely in love. My boyfriend’s family welcomed me like one of their own, and everything about the experience—the nature, the people, the food—was perfect. Located on Türkiye's Aegean coast, İzmir is a mix of mountains, beaches, artisan shops, and picturesque villages. I was charmed.
Naturally, the next summer, I returned. This time, we arrived in May. As another incredible summer came to an end, I asked my boyfriend when we were heading back to the U.S. He looked at me and said, “I kind of like it here.” I felt the same. And just like that, İzmir became home.
I recently returned from a two-month U.S. tour, traveling between New Jersey, NYC, and Miami to visit family and friends. It was amazing, but being back in İzmir feels just as good. Now, we’re working on creating a U.S. home base so we can live the best of both worlds.
Adopting the *hell yes* philosophy years ago changed everything for me. It’s simple, but it requires one thing: a clear connection with your gut. I’m not an expert on human design, but as a Generator (like 70% of us), I’ve learned that we thrive when we tune into yes/no questions and trust our instincts.
Work on building that connection with your gut. It’ll take you places you never imagined.
