How is your Comfort Zone Killing You?
As part of the 40 days to personal revolution program – week 3 you’re asked to step out of your comfort zone. How is your comfort zone killing you? Big question. Lately, I realize this is THE question.
Ok, so I bought a neti pot. This is big. Really big. One might say, this is outside of my comfort zone. Well, I used it that first morning and would you believe it, angels starting singing out of my nostrils!!! HA. Nope. Not really.
However, this is just a tiny example of my growth this year and the rewards that I am I reaping with a little curiosity and the desire to drop old patterns. “They say” that we should rise before the sun (well depending on your Dosha – but that’s a whole other blog). My typical morning practice is (was) hearing my alarm go off, hitting snooze and then deciding, “Is a shower really necessary this morning?”
Long story short, a lot of mornings I was getting up 20 minutes before I had to be at work and then doing the mad dash. Arriving on time (or mostly 5 minutes late) and having only been upright for 20 minutes before starting my 8 hour day at a desk. Ok, so this morning “ritual” is a pattern of mine. While it’s easy to tell myself, “I’m so tired” or ask, “Why am I so lazy?” What’s really happening is I’m inadvertently putting off my life. The “WHY?” is a loaded question. The answers are wholly based on FEAR.
So, back to the neti pot. When I do get up to “neti pot”, this an extra 5 minutes of time. Time for me. Time for me to be alone with myself – taking care of MYself. Call me dramatic, but that’s beautiful. Also, I clean out my nasal pathway and breathe better overall (no big deal!).
Back to the fear. Sigh.
I was recently asked to stand in a room and think about the things I long for. The things in life I most desire. What I truly want….
This was part of a bigger exercise but I’ll give you the hard points. The exercise was to think about what I long for, for someone to distract me from that desire, and then for me to notice what it takes, what kind of energy I need to get me back to what I long for or my desire.
Well, when asked what I noticed, I answered stuff like, “Nothing.” “I feel nothing.” Numb. This went on for a bit – repeating the exercise.
Then, I started to explain, “Well I’m not sure about how I’m standing” .. “I have more weight in one leg.”…. “What do I do with my arms?” … “Am I supposed to close my eyes?” … Do I look at the wall?” …. etc.
And then, it hit me! I can’t even just stand here. I repeat: I can’t even just stand here.
How often am I taken out of life and into my head and into these repetitive scripts:
“Am I doing it right?” ,“Am I good enough?”, “Does this person like me?”, “Was that thing I just said totally insane, offensive, irritating”, “Am I talking too much?”, “Am I being too loud?”, “Am I doing it right????”
WOW. Now try to achieve your hopes and dreams and live your passions and follow your heart! Shoot for the stars Alexis – but WAIT – are you doing it right?
I repeat. Wow. This script, this endless questioning, has been there my entire life. Applied in the background to all that I do/did. The beautiful soundtrack of ….doubt.
But now that I see it, now that I know that’s not the place I want to live from, it’s starting to melt away. I’m excited to see what happens next. I’m sort of mourning those 29 years, but hey, now I’ve got my entire life to live from some place new.
What did it take for me to realize this “comfort zone” or (incredibly uncomfortable zone). The time and space to be present in my own body. What is the first tool that ever helped me to realize the power of this? Yoga. One hour of time. Chosen by me. For me. In my body. With my breath. On my mat. Open your mouth, and siiiighhhhh. So, not only is it an awesome way for all that cliché shit: to get in shape, to stretch, to “get more flexible”, to wear sexy LuLu clothes (HA), to sweat, to “clear my mind”, etc. It is the new guide to my life. MY life.
How is your comfort zone killing you for $200, Alex?
Answer: It is keeping me from living my life!
Drop the patterns. Shake it up. Have faith. Unwavering faith. Step out of your comfort zone!
~ Alexis Schurman
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