It dawned on me today that we spend so much of our time with the same people, in the same places, doing the same things as we always do. It is too easy to settle into a routine of habits, whether or not they serve our needs and our calling.
Sometimes life has a way of waking us up and reminding us that we need to expand our horizons outside of what is familiar and comfortable.
I recently spent a week in Nashville. It was one of the first times since I became a Mom nine years ago that I travelled alone. It was an amazing experience and reminded me that I have spent too much time lately living within my comfort zone.
In Nashville, I toured museums alone, ate meals alone, and took myself out to listen to live music alone. Being open to experiences and people renewed my sense of excitement and joy.
The danger of living too long in our comfort zone is that we forget this intoxicating feeling of new experience. How joyful and inspiring it can be to open ourselves to the world and seek out new and different experiences.
The same is true for people. If we spend our time in the familiar, we miss out on opportunities to meet new people who challenge and change us. There is a whole slice of life out there that is well beyond our backyard, both literally and figuratively. It is only when we stretch ourselves to what is unfamiliar and sometimes intimidating that we open ourselves to this potential.
In romance novels, the hero and heroine are often from different backgrounds and part of the appeal of the story is how they overcome their preconceived ideas about each other to fall in love. And ultimately, grow from the experience to become fuller, more actualized versions of themselves.
I recently met someone that has the potential to become a good friend. This person’s background, experiences, and social circle are vastly different from mine. Except for a chance meeting, we would have never crossed paths, although we live in the same small state. However, as we got to talking, it became apparent that we have the same values, philosophy of life, and sense of adventure. While we don’t agree on everything, we have a mutual respect for each other’s views.
This relationship reminds me how important it is to get out of our comfort zone and experience life. There is a whole, wide world out there, and if you don’t explore it, many opportunities may pass by.
I encourage you to consider how you can challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone and experience all the wonderful things the universe has to offer.