However, upon lots of recent reflection, I've come to feel that most of my really meaningful, challenging, and satisfying moments in life have come by stepping outside my comfort zone. I've grown comfortable with a strong workout routine when I used to be baffled and bored by the idea of a gym before ever really setting foot in one. I've tried experimental diets to boost my own body's immune system through alternating fasting days, and although it was really tough some days, it was great to really step back from food and reacquaint myself with what it means to be hungry, to eat well, to be full, and to eat for reasons other than hunger. I managed to bicycle 3500 really satisfying miles in one summer trip, even though the idea of really long rides (over 50 miles) still brings up fear issues in me that I won't be able to make it for some unknown reason. I tried throwing pottery for the first time last fall (something I've secretly wanted to do for years), and I was actually pretty good at it and loved doing it. I built a chair last year from scratch in spite of being daunted by the idea of "furniture building," but it has turned out quite well and many people have speculated that they might buy such a piece (??).
We also can also push the borders of our comfort zones in less tangible ways. Learning to be a better listener when everyone tells you that you talk a lot can be an immense but satisfying challenge. Practicing a little financial restraint when we're used to shopping to provide meaning in our lives can be a novel and scary idea, but often with plenty of rewards. Cultivating patience at times when we feel we're about to burst with anger can be a lifetime practice, but who knows how many joys it will lead to?
I think when we can step outside our comfort zones, it's really good for us. We shake up our old world views with new perspectives and information. There's also lots of evidence that
our brains go into a different mode of perception when we're doing or encountering new things. This heightened level of activity keeps our brains active and may even work to delay or prevent degenerative ailments like Alzheimer's. Doing new and difficult things gives us something interesting to talk about at the water cooler at work - much more exciting than last night's predictable TV babble. We also give ourselves chances to discover new passions, things that we thought we might enjoy but in fact we actually LOVE to do. Look at all these benefits...Right now I feel like I'm taking a big leap outside my comfort zone in moving to Canada to be with my girlfriend Emily. I've discovered (in my relationship with Emily) that I feel most safe and secure when I can be in a place where there is a clear and strong need for my help. Heading to Ontario is really scary for me because I'll have to create a niche for myself from scratch, so to speak (although lots of help from Emily's friends is not be discounted at all). It's a feeling of letting go of control and safety to a large extent. I feel like I'm breaking out in a new direction, though I don't even know what that direction is. I suspect it will unfold before me as I move along this unknown path, but to remember that is hard and it doesn't always bring comfort in my moments of doubt. I like the idea of testing myself and my comfort zone in a big sense like this, but I'm also scared to death. I guess this is what the big changes in life are all about.
So, what are you going to do this week to push at the edges of your comfort zone? What do you want to do that you are afraid of failing at? Have the conversation, buy that alpaca ranch you've been dreaming of, follow your heart's desire wherever it leads, especially if it's a little scary and a little unclear. That's where all the good stuff lies in wait for you...
(that's a sea otter in those waves, saying "Ain't much changed 'round here since the beginning of time. But do you know where you're going?")
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