Moving from 'Why?' to 'Why not?'

A mindset shift that might just change the way you think about making decisions.

Last week I stumbled upon this graphic on Laura Jackson’s Instagram (do you follow her and love her as much as I do?), and it literally stopped me in my tracks. This idea of switching from asking Why? to Why not?. It’s such a simple shift in mindset, but one that can change everything.

As I’ve said previously, I have spent the last couple of years feeling a bit stuck. I don’t know why, but it felt like there was an invisible barrier between where I was and what I really wanted to be doing. I kept telling myself to trust the universe, but then felt frustrated when the universe didn’t deliver a clear plan forward.

Somewhere along the way, something shifted. I don’t know exactly when or how, but suddenly I feel different. The things that once seemed scary, overwhelming or improbable now feel… possible. I feel excited. I feel free. I feel ready to try. Why not, right?

My friend Natalie Walton has always said that her career ethos is to keep trying new things until she finds what works. I love this because it acknowledges that not everything will work—and that’s okay. Some things will fail, and some will thrive, but you won’t know unless you try.

I keep reminding myself that the life we have now exists because of the bold decisions Michael and I have made. We made choices that others found risky (like moving from Los Angeles to London together after just 3-months of dating), but these opened up opportunities we never could have planned or imagined. Just last week, Michael said to me, ‘Isn’t it crazy to think that 10 years ago, we were bundling up to stay warm in London and had no idea that we’d one day be sitting in a house in balmy Australia, half-dressed and chasing geckos out of the kitchen!’ It’s true — I would never have even imagined it!

Probably the boldest decision we ever made as a couple was to sell our home in London, take our kids out of school and travel the world for a year. After spending 12 years making friends, building careers, getting on the property ladder and getting our kids into a good school, many people thought we were mad. Both friends and strangers questioned us. ‘Why would you do that? What will happen to your careers? What if you don’t find as nice of a house?’ Whenever we wobbled on our decision, I would say to Michael, ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ Sure, we’d have less money when we returned. It might be tricky to get the kids back into school, and we’d have to figure out where to live. But in exchange? We’d gain something priceless—a year together as a family, filled with unforgettable experiences and lifelong memories. In the end, the adventure seemed worth every risk.

Granted, there are times in life when we need to sail into a safe harbour and stay moored. And of course, the ability to make bold decisions is, in itself, a privilege—not everyone has the luxury of choice. But when you do, why not be bold? More often than not, the worst-case scenario isn’t actually as bad as we fear—certainly not bad enough to stop us from making decisions that might transform our lives for the better. Why not do that thing you’ve been dreaming of for years? The unknown can be scary, yes, but it can also be exciting.

So what’s calling to you right now? What’s that one thing that feels just a little too big or uncertain—but could be incredible if you simply said, Why not? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Courtney x

P.S. If you’d like to explore this topic in a deeper way, you may be interested in one of my upcoming in-person weekend gatherings taking place in March (28-30) and May (23-25). Through inspiring journalling workshops, soulful conversations, nourishing food, and time spent in nature, we’ll rediscover what excites us, gain fresh perspectives, and leave feeling empowered to embrace change with confidence and joy. Please feel free to email me at info@courtneyadamo.com for more info!