When I was a child, I did not know the definition of the word "fear." My mother was constantly having to watch me to make sure that I was not about to do something dangerous...Like jumping on the back of the farmer's horse, "Major" who would hang out by the fence which separated our property from the his. Ma yelled, "Claudia! Nooooo!" and I yelled back, "He's hungry Ma...I am giving him an apple before we ride!" Then there was the time I wanted to go play with boy down the road. Ma didn't know I left and when she found me, she was not what I would say "composed." I was four or five at the time and with both incidents, I had no fear. I was perfectly in my comfort zone. My poor mother was not. How joyful it was to live without fear.
At this stage in my life, I have learned to stretch beyond what is comfortable at times. It becomes healthy and it creates courage. If it ends up a mistake, we learn from it. A couple of days ago, I stepped out of my comfort zone to sing in front of tons of people I did not know. One of my dearest buddies, convinced me to to do an open mic night and although I may not have been chosen to sing, I was chosen and it's interesting because the moment the piano player called my name, I lost my fear and shattered my comfort zone. Comfort zones often keep us from breaking our routines, making us boring and bland. I never wanted to be "boring or bland" and it seems at though, that the older I am fortunate to get, the less boring or bland I want to be? I am challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone because it is becoming relatively important that I keep following what makes me tick. I am sure my mother would NOT agree...but perhaps now, NOW, she would understand. I was born that way. Her job was to protect me even if I hated it. I know better now.
When we go beyond what is comfortable, we grow. As long as we are not hurting ourselves or anyone else, stepping beyond what is comfortable motivates us to change. We can develop our talents. We can develop new relationships and perhaps improve the relationships we already have. Perhaps we just might receive respect from those who do not know us but now, they may want to extend their hand. Truthfully, if we follow our natural passions and appropriate impulses, we can become the very person we were destined to be despite the fences and the fears we build or others build for us.
When we are in the zone, there is nothing like it. Our lives change and we become confident. That confidence makes us deal with everyone differently. We are become less resistant, We become less inhibited. We become the person we are meant to be.
