“If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.”
Yup. For 15 whole minutes. :) I had never attended a dance party* before, and am thankful for the three roommates who wanted to go. It was long enough to have fun, and short enough to prevent any headaches. :) And Ailina, bless her soul forever, taught me a method to the madness of how-to-dance-to-modern-music: first move your legs, then move your arms, then move your head. Do it all together and try not to hit anyone. :) And I did it!--not the hitting part ;)
I'm thankful for opportunities to try new things. For the courage to do them, and the support group who makes it easier to be willing to try. I'm thankful for teachers, for friends, and the fun texts I get from my sister ("DAAANCE PAAAARTYYY") and my awesome brother ("...And don't talk to mean boys or hitch rides from strangers"). :) :) :) I'm thankful for challenging new opportunities, from accounting classes to landscape design software, and for a life that can be newly lived each day.
“Coming out of your comfort zone is tough in the beginning, chaotic in the middle, and awesome in the end...because in the end, it shows you a whole new world !!
Make an attempt..”
Hehe...that sounds like dating to me. :)
So, what opportunities to stretch yourself are you thankful for?
*the dance party was held at our friends' house down the street. A fun and safe atmosphere, no drugs allowed. :)
i love the end of that second quote -- "make an attempt". that is what life is all about -- try new things, make mistakes, learn, grow, progress. we all have our talents, but sticking to what we know and what we are good at doesn't give us a chance to grow. and who knows, we may find a hidden talent in the process (it sounds like you discovered your dancing talent -- moving around without hitting anyone is not an easy task) ;) one of my favorite quotes comes from one of my favorite runners, deena kastor: "i've always taken the philosophy that you have to dream a little in this sport. if you stay in your comfort zone, you're not going to do anything special." that applies to anything in life -- the comfort zone may be comfortable, but nothing really happens there. i am thankful for the opportunity i had to step out of my comfort zone in my job. i have always been terrified [terrified!] of public speaking -- it was paralyzing. but somehow i found myself accepting a job as a nutrition instructor, not really because i wanted to, but because i knew it was the right thing for me to do at that time of my life. this job required three straight hours of lecturing. i had no idea how i was going to do it, and i started questioning why i accepted the job because i was certain i was just going to fail. i have never been so nervous as i was on that first day of class, but once i got up and started talking, i realized it wasn't so bad. my confidence grew with every minute that passed and i found that i was still alive and standing upright. five years later, i consider public speaking to be one of my strong points. i love it, and it's not because i love to hear myself talk. :) i just love teaching people and seeing things click for them. i love being able to answer questions and see the whole learning process take place. i have come to love my job and i get excited about teaching and discussing new things each day. as always, thanks for the post, ivy. you are all right. :)
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