Live Outside My Comfort Zone

...my New Year's resolution two years ago. Did I live up to it?--pretty much so for the first year. Recently--not so much. I've put it to the back burner but now I'm lighting the fire again. This post is mainly a selfish one--to remind myself that I need to push myself to a higher level. The last year has been spent trying to heal--my mind, my body, to some extent my soul. While I'm not 100% in any category, I'm close. Close enough to move on.

I spent most of my life living in a comfort zone. Not that I was always comfortable, just that I never really pushed myself to see how far I could go--how much I could achieve. What held me back? I think it was fear plain and simple--fear that I wasn't smart enough, pretty enough, strong enough, good enough. So I lived my life under the radar. When I tried something I gave it my all but what I tried was routine--things that I was pretty certain I could handle.

But two years ago I realized that wasn't good enough. My comfortable life had added unhealthy weight and unhealthy weakness to my body. My mind needed stimulation--my soul was restless. So I made a commitment to myself--to live outside my comfort zone. I joined the gym. I became a personal trainer. I tried things that I hadn't before.

But soon enough I fell into my old routines. Physical issues caused me to lighten up on my training at the gym. Where I loved to challenge myself with new exercise and heavier weights--in came rehabilitation and corrective exercises. Mental issues caused me to doubt myself once again. But thankfully I'm turning the corner. Physically, through the help of an amazing physical rehab doctor, I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Mentally, through an awesome integrative medicine doctor, I learned that I have imbalances that can be treated--imbalances that aren't all in my head but in my stomach!

So now's the time to renew my resolution--why wait till New Years? I will live outside my comfort zone--starting today...right now.

Baby Step: Are you stuck in a comfort zone? Do you want to get out? Do one new thing every day. Try a new food, take a different route to a familiar place, listen to new music, join a gym, get a new haircut, make a new friend. Just go for it!

Any suggestions for me? I'd love to hear them.

Be strong. Be fit. Be confident. Be your best.

Hugs (and a couple kisses tonight),

Joanne

P.S. Normally it would take an hour of agonizing revisions to publish this post. Today, guess what? It's going up as is--aren't I daring? :)