Who Would DO That?
I passed a truck towing a fishing boat toward the water yesterday. It was early. It was cold. It was windy. And rain was threatening.
Judgement entered my mind rather quickly. "Who in their right mind...?"
Thankfully, I caught myself and turned it into a reflective learning moment. I hope this gentleman had a wonderful morning on the water!
When it comes to experiencing all that life has to offer, do you ever consciously consider the width of your comfort zone?
Is it so narrow that it keeps you from doing even the things you enjoy?
Do you find yourself waiting for perfect conditions, conditions that likely will never come - or, like the ideal spring day in IL, may happen only 2X in an entire year?
Of course, our comfort zone parameters widen quite a bit in our arenas of passion, but otherwise?
If you only kinda like to fish, do you only fish when it's 75 degrees, partly sunny, no bugs, the water is calm, and the fish are biting?
If you only kinda like to ride motorcycles, do you only ride when it's not too hot, not too cold, not too much traffic, middle of the day, and no adverse weather pending?
If you like an occasional hike... or play a sport... or read... or knit... or tackle projects around the house...
Do we find ourselves making almost any excuse to NOT do the things that make life...life...because they may be outside our very limited comfort zone?
What if we were to widen our borders even just a little bit? How much more of those experiences might we be able to enjoy more often?
What if our temperature range widened 10 degrees either way? What if we could tolerate a little more wind, a few more bugs, a little less comfort?
Now, let's push it a little bit.
What if we could handle a few extremes?
What if we could break the chain between "comfort" and "joy"? (With all due respect to that famous Christmas carol, of course.)
What if we conditioned ourselves to enjoy "X" - whatever "X" is - in 40 degree weather, rain, wind, and/or _____ (fill in the blank with the activity's adversary)?
Might our life experience expand considerably, even exponentially?
Consider this: Willfully exposing ourselves to conditions outside of our comfort zone has the potential to significantly expand our opportunities for enjoyment and the grand experiences of life.
For one, its natural byproduct is an expansion of our comfort zone. Now we can enjoy fishing when it's 65° (or 85°), breezy, and even a little buggy.
And secondly, it allows us to find joy wherever we choose to find it, because we now know that joy does not have to be tied to our sense of comfort.
Something to think about anyway.
Cuz you and I both know that perfect conditions practically NEVER present themselves - in any segment of our lives.
May we seek to live life just a little bit more "to the full" each day - in business, in life, and in faith.
This is the way.
This is The Way.
Blessings to you, my friends!
