Daring Greatly Outside the Comfort Zone

I like ruts. I like my comfort zone and it’s hard to get me out of it. So, it’s a good thing that life doesn’t let me get too mired in. I am challenged in one way or another; if not every day, then every other day. I am never allowed to stay on the easy road no matter how hard I try. Something always comes along to upset the proverbial apple cart.

That’s a good thing. If I never moved out of my comfort zone, there would be no growth. I’d stagnate – and stagnation is a precursor to death. The universe won’t let that happen to me (not now anyway). 

The end of 2016 introduced me to two concepts: Daring greatly and living whole-heartedly. I have taken these words to heart and I’m developing what this means to me. 

I wrote about daring greatly in my blog this past December (in “Living the Life of an Artist/Writer” blog before I divided my blogs into categories). It was a brief introduction of what it means to “dare greatly,” and since then, the act of daring greatly comes up more and more. Or rather, I am more aware of how often I dare greatly. I am learning to see challenges as opportunities to dare greatly and that lifts my spirits.

Still, I want my comfort zone and sometimes I feel I’m throwing a childish, inner temper tantrum when things don’t go smoothly. I can’t even stay home to avoid challenges! Life just dishes them up. I work steadily to be as positive about life as I can. Life isn’t perfect; crash and burns happen and I get what I call “freaky.” 

This is part of where the living whole-heartedly comes in. I take a deep breath and dive into the challenge. OK, I’ll admit there’s often frustrating tears, but I work through it! Sometimes it’s about figuring it out for myself or knowing when to ask for help. Other times I find answers by talking about the situation through writing, emailing, or posting on Facebook – just the fact that I’ve put it out there, offers mental relief from the downward spiral.

I take time to read my positive affirmations and I meditate and do Tai Chi daily. I go outside even if it’s just to walk around the yard to soak up the fresh air and nature. I watch the birds, play with the kitty, listen to comforting music, and remember to breathe in and breathe out. 

I dive back into my work with a clearer mindset.

I’ll be writing more about living whole-heartedly in upcoming postings.