Author, Neale Donald Walsch says, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” What I interpret this to mean, is that when there is discomfort in life, there is potential for growth.
I had the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone big time twice earlier this week. As much as that pesky voice in my head screamed to get my attention so I would bail out, I chose not to engage those thoughts, and said YES anyway. And, I’m so happy I did…
On Monday evening, I had a photo shoot for some new website pics (coming soon). Now, I’m not known for being the most photogenic person, and I’m by no means comfortable in front of a camera. Add the fact that the shoot took place in Central Park and on Park Avenue, where there are more than a few people around to potentially stop and stare. It was a prime opportunity for me to feel self conscious, yet I chose to go in with an enthusiastic attitude instead. I ended up having a ton of fun, and the images I’ve seen so far turned out pretty awesome! Had I listened to that inner critic (that voice that tries to stop us all from trying anything that’s even a little uncomfortable), I would have missed out on a super positive experience.
On Tuesday night, I had the opportunity to speak about all things life coachy, to a group of twenty-four people. While I don’t have a tremendous amount of experience speaking publicly, it’s something I’ve really wanted to delve into recently. At the same time, that voice kept trying to freak me out. Along with secretly hoping it would get cancelled, I had thoughts like, What if I’m not good? What if the people don’t get into it? What if I go into a full blown panic? Yet, I chose to ignore those thoughts, and just kept telling myself You got this, instead. And guess what? It went really well! In fact, it was easy because the topic was one of which I am extremely passionate. Sure, there’s room for improvement, but overall people seemed to enjoy the talk, I learned a ton for the next time, and I felt really proud of myself for just going for it.
People often tell me they want to try new exercise classes, but don’t because of fear. They reply no to a party invite because they won’t know anyone at the event. They won’t try online dating because it’s not for them. They don’t apply for jobs because of their lack of experience. The real thing that holds people back is their thoughts. Thoughts like, What if I’m not good enough? What if I get rejected? and What will people think? prevent people from putting themselves out there, and really getting the most out of life.
What’s the worst that can really happen though? In most cases, there may be temporary discomfort, but the world won’t end. You will survive. Hey, and maybe you’ll actually learn something about yourself!
My three year old often says, “I don’t liiiiike it,” before trying a new food. I try and explain to her that she can’t know whether or not she likes something if she doesn’t try it. It’s her thoughts (the anticipation or expectations), that get in her way. Clearly rationalizing with a three year old isn’t always easy, but you are an adult. If you work on pushing yourself towards the discomfort of trying something new, you may learn a little something along the way. If you allow yourself to get uncomfortable in an effort to try new things, you give yourself the opportunity to actually know if you like something or not.
When you train yourself to get out of your head enough to put yourself in positions where you feel some discomfort, you are giving yourself a gift. The gift is true knowledge, a deeper understanding of yourself, and the opportunity to feel awesome because you overcame a fear.
That’s it. That’s all I got for ya.
Happy day everyone!!
