Comfort Zone

Energy Bulletin

When I was younger, my friends and I had a motto. "He (or she) who dies with the most toys wins." It was a well engrained motto that was actually much less a life goal than an active lifestyle choice and who could blame us, we were lucky enough to be growing up in Whistler British Columbia, one of the world’s greatest outdoor recreation and adventure playgrounds.

Ahh, the good old days, were each day brought new challenges to surmount and conquer. We were all so young and foolish, we were brave and often more than a little fearful and without any question, we were truly living.

As the years trickle by I wonder at what point I became far less concerned with acquiring the latest and greatest in adrenalin based accessories and exploring the depths of my courage as I was with paying bills and wages, developing new marketing strategies, building business systems or any and all of that 'normal’ stuff'?

Sometimes I catch myself thinking that it may be just an age thing and that I really had to grow up eventually. Well, I suppose that’s true, otherwise we all still might believe doing burn outs in front of a busy café was super cool. However, should we be satisfied giving up the spontaneity and risks we associate with being young and carefree because we now have a few more responsibilities? Personally I’d like to think not.

Now I’m not suggesting you should stop paying your bills, sell your house, have your children adopted out and buy an open ended around the world ticket or anything like that but I think most of us would agree that those who dare to step away from that which is ‘normal’ and ‘restrained’ to partake in something a bit daring or risqué are worth a little admiration.

So is that it then? Are we required to step out of our comfort zone on occasion to keep from feeling tired and old?

If you can entertain for a moment that maybe, just perhaps, a fulfilled and happy existence does require a carefree attitude on occasion, where caution gets tossed aside so that you may journey, even for a moment, into an unknown and risky future, then I would like to pose upon you an interesting question.

What is it that you've done, not watched or witnessed but actually done yourself in the last 6 months or even the last year or couple of years, that has made you sit back and think, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I actually did that.. That was amazing, I really feel alive for having done that’.

If you can think of something you’ve accomplished that has given you that sort of feeling then great, well done! If you can't think of anything then maybe you have decided, without really meaning to, that it's time to grow old?

Or maybe you've just been a little busy with the normal stuff. It happens.

But if that’s the case, what can we do to break out of the mold or rut that you've created?

Once again, I'm not going to suggest that you have to run off and do something dangerous and life threatening to feel that you’re alive, although that certainly can work, however there are plenty of easier challenges out there that will pull you out of your comfort zone and test your metal, for instance;

· If you feel you deserve it try asking your boss for raise? That's always a sure way to get the blood pumping.
· How about entering a competition of some kind, like a short course triathlon? You don't have to win, heck you don't even have to be any good but the fact that you're getting in and having a crack means that you're creating those all important memories.
· If individual sports aren't your thing what about a local team. There are plenty of them out there and most play just for the fun of it.
· What about getting up the courage to ask out that fella or lass you've had your eye on for a while? Courage comes in many shapes and sizes.
· What about making a goal that's going to be quite difficult to achieve and then telling everyone about it. Now the pressure is on… Now you're living.

On Sunday afternoons I run an elite training session for a few of the gang down at a local park. Every one of us, including myself, feels a little apprehensive come Sunday morning as to what is about to transpire that afternoon. Some of these sessions can be really, really hard. The feeling of accomplishment however, post thrashing, is truly worth the slight anxiety of the morning.

I am sure that most of you receive and read the Energy Bulletins because you aren't so much life spectators as life enthusiasts and as such you should on occasion ask yourself, “Have I been playing life a little too safe and if so, am I really ready to grow old?”

D

PS. Although not for everyone… These guys are really LIVING!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0tU3Hy7et8&eurl=