COMFORT ZONE - Part I

Barbara Ward-Finneran

The "Comfort Zone", usually a great place to be, a fine place to hang out.  But, truth be told, one can become very complacent if they hang there too long.  There is such a thing as being too comfortable.  Dare I say, if you stay there too long it's boring.  It's an easy place to be ---and in this fast paced, over scheduled life, who doesn't like easy?  Aren't easy and boring very different? Which is worse?  Can't either be a blessing or a curse? There are days I'd beg for boring.  Usually in the desire for the not dramatic, non eventful, less then two hours of homework, and car breaking down for the 3rd time in 8 weeks kind of way (Oh, yes, it did, UGH! Can't even get think about the bill - YIKES!).  It's usually a more personal occurrence that transpires for us to realize that we are in a rut.  To borrow a line from Oprah, an "ah-ha" moment, that thought, that makes you glow rather then imagine your reflection in the mirror with a hand in the shape of an "L" on your forehead.  Knowing you have to break free from stuck in rut, doesn't mean that you aren't busy beyond words, or burning the candle at both ends and in the middle with a blow torch.  Or working your bottom off to make ends meet, and doing a cracker -jack job at it --- but rather the root of this rut is when consistently everything is more of the same ol', same ol', day in and day out.  Life needs a little shake up sometimes.  I don't mean those unexpected and often un-welcomed "bumps" in the road that we are taught to embrace. Not the "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" stuff.  Something you plan.  A challenge.  An adventure.  Then even the same ol', same ol', can seem fresh and new.  It can be small or it can be big.  But if you shake things up it'll make something in your life just a little bit prettier.  Not certain about that theory?  Look at that dollar store snow globe that you forgot to pack away with the holiday trims.  Now shake it.  Instant beauty.  Isn't that what a challenge does for us? Shakes up our insides and gets the blood and adrenaline flowing. Whether it's because you are excited or terrified, the effect is often the same.  As is that sense of accomplishment when the task is completed.  When you exhale and smile with pride.  Instant beauty!