Comfort Zone

Humans are creatures of habit. We like what we like and that’s what we will continue to do. Unless challenged we will not step out of our comfort zone. The problem with that is the fact that we can’t grow inside our little comfy bubble.

When I was working in management my company thought it would be a good idea to send a few of us to a Dale Carnegie course. To help us with our people skills. We had to learn how to better deal with people and found ways to find commonality so you can “win friends and influence people”. Most of this course for me was review, not because I had been through it but because it’s the way we in the south are raised. I was taught most of these lessons from very young by my Mama.

One part of the course that wasn’t review for me was public speaking. I’m not going to say it was a fear but it was definitely outside of my comfort zone. I cringed at the thought of having to get up in front of those thirty people and tell a story or talk about a topic. Maybe because I’m such a bad preparer, maybe because I think my speaking voice is horrible, or maybe mostly because I am up there alone vulnerable and under scrutiny of all of the people in the class.

One of the assignments was to write a story to tell the class about a painful situation. I chose to talk about the loss of my father in law. It was an incredibly difficult time for me but they wanted emotion they were going to get it. I didn’t prepare I decided that the story would tell itself. I stood up there and shortly after starting I had tears rolling down my cheeks, three minutes in I was in full tears, and by the end I couldn’t talk through the crying. I felt like I was going to have to run out of the class afterwards afraid of what they might say or how they might feel about me now, but to my surprise there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. They weren’t laughing at me they were crying with me. They felt the pain they took something away from the words I had to say and more than that I grew.

We all go through this life differently. We have different stories, different trials, and different tests. One thing is certain though all of these things are placed in our lives as opportunities to grow and as long as we stay in our comfort zone we won’t grow, we won’t mature, and we won’t be able to fulfill God’s calling on our life.

Today find the courage to step out of your comfort zone, step out on faith and let yourself grow. It could change someone’s life and will definitely change yours.

I love you.