I used to plan snowboarding trips when I was in college and would go at least once, if not multiple times, a month. I remember one specific trip my second season where I had really started to feel comfortable and could really carve and enjoy the ride. And on that trip, I got into the big 15 passenger van, in the passenger seat, after the long day and my friend and partner in planning, Tommy, looked at me and asked, "how was your day?". I looked at him and smiled and replied, "it was great - I didn't fall once!".

In which he replied with something I LEAST expected to hear, "if you don't fall, then you aren't pushing yourself."

WOW. it really made me think! That whole day I had been in my comfort zone and not challenging myself.  Which as a result, meant that I wasn't growing, learning and improving my snowboarding skills.

I attended this team building thing for work on Friday and it focused a lot on our "comfort zones". I've been thinking about it a lot this weekend. I think it's good to have comfort in some way - family, people close to you, your home, etc - but at the same time it's important to push yourself constantly. A lot of people are afraid of change in their lives. They get nervous or scared about something when they are starting to challenge their internal comfort zone and they back out. I've known people to get angry with themselves and instead of facing what it is that is making them angry, they lash out at others and exile them from their lives. It's their own choice and while I might think it's sad, it's their choice.

People can live in their comfort zone their entire life. But what kind of life would that be? They never allowed themselves to experience new things, be proud of combating their fear and accomplishing something they never would have, and expanded and grown as a person.

I've never really had much of an issue in this. I always seem to follow my heart and my gut, and while I might be afraid at times, I've relied on the strong support of my family and friends to get me to the finish line. and when I get to that point, I make a new finish line and strive towards that.

I'm not writing this to toot my own horn. I'm saying it in hopes that whoever is reading this will look internally and see if there is something that they are procrasting in accomplishing because of their own fear of going outside their comfort zone.

You see it every day.. people unhappy in the job they are doing, unsatisfied or bored in a relationship, angry or bad blood with friends who were close in the past, angry and upset at life..

I recommend the book "Excuse me, You're Life is Waiting" or "The Power of Now" to anyone looking for inspiration in changing their life for the better. :-) We should always be looking to improve. It's called "living" :-)