Stepping outside the comfort zone

At our last staff meeting in my office we were asked to think of things we do (or could do) to step outside of our comfort zones. We all get accustomed to certain routines, people, and places that allow us to stay in that zone of safety. But to do this day after day can lead to quite a boring existence. I have a list of things I've done in the past. Travel is up there at the top of my list, and I mean traveling anywhere (by myself). I get panicky thinking about having to drive somewhere I'm not familiar with, or traveling to other states/countries. But then I think, if I allow my fear and anxiety to rule me and keep me in my comfort zone, I'll never see the world. So, I travel every chance I get. I've traveled to the UK and Ireland alone, and I spent last Samhain (Halloween) in Salem, MA. These were the best times of my life, even though I was scared to do it. This summer my son and I are driving to Williams, AZ where we will take the train to the Grand Canyon. This will be my first trip with my 4 year old son; this should be an adventure, and it scares me to death. But I'm going to do it, and we're going to have a great time!

Another biggy on the out of my comfort zone list is writing. I'm an aspiring writer, I haven't had any professional training, but I think I have some really interesting book ideas; so I'm trying to write my first novel and keep up on my blog. And the scariest part...is letting the world see what I have to say. I've recently started producing my office's monthly newsletter, and I've had a handful of articles published. Sending my writing to our media/pr director for editing nearly sent me into an anxiety attack. But she was immensely supportive and continues to push me to keep writing.

I think I'm scared of someone saying "you're wrong, that's not right, you're writing sucks". Some will probably think that, but I'm hoping that some will want to hear what I have to say. I think I'm a pretty creative person, but I worry that I'm just not good enough and by making my writing public I'm setting myself up for ridicule and rejection.

So I think back at the other things I've done in my life that I've initially felt the same way about and ask myself, was it worth it? And my answer, absolutely! When I feel that anxiety in the pit of my stomach when I'm presented with something new I know that if I decide to go for it, I'll never regret it. And if it doesn't work out, who cares, everything in life is a lesson. I take that fear as a good thing...to me, it means something amazing is just around the corner.

Think about what takes you out of your comfort zone. Has it ever held you back from something you really wish you'd done? If so, why not just take the chance and go for it?