Comfort Zone Challenge - Day 9

I blame my high school debate class. 

I'm a pretty laid back, easy going girl, most of the time.  I am skilled at avoiding argument and confrontation, and biting my tongue to keep the peace...at least until someone brings up politics, then I just can't help myself.

I grew up in a home with very strong political beliefs.  I found myself, early in my high school years, questioning a few of the political ideals of my family.  I didn't just ask questions, or have a casual conversation about my ideas.  I argued and lectured, claimed to know best, and let myself get angry and condescending.  I am embarrassed to admit that not much has changed.  When something I feel strongly about is challenged, I'm still likely to have a very Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde experience. 

I don't need to tell you that there is plenty of political talk happening right now, and plenty of strong opinions to be heard.  I think it's great to stand up for, and speak out on what is important to you. To be active politically is a good thing...just not the way I've been doing it.

A couple of days ago, while visiting with some friends, I found myself in a situation that could definitely have brought on my political Dr. Jekyll.  The conversation turned to politics, and I was outnumbered 2 to 1 by opposing political views.  I disagreed with a lot of what was said, but in a definite moment of growth for me, I found myself actually listening and respecting my friends opinions, and then sharing mine with the same level of conviction, but without the argument.  It turns out that it is possible to have a conversation about politics, and not be feisty and argumentative!

It is definitely outside of my comfort zone, to listen to others' political views, and not shove my own down their throats. 

I have to say that it feels much better to talk politics, and not yell politics. 

Today's a new day, let's make it purposeful!
Kara

 

Comfort Zone Challenge - Day 8

I am a farmer's market frequenting, veggie loving, health nut.  Fresh vegetables give me the same kind of thrill now, that hearing Tiffany on the radio gave me as a 5th grader.  I can't get enough of Artichokes and Asparagus, Swiss Chard and Kale.  I will happily eat any vegetable put on my plate, unless it's Eggplant, Okra or Brussell Sprouts, in which case I will hide them in my napkin when nobody's looking.

I am definitely uncomfortable with Eggplant, Okra and Brussell Sprouts, which in this challenge means...I have to eat them.

This was no easy challenge for me.  Even putting said vegetables into my cart at the grocery store was a challenge.  I decided to keep the preparation and cooking of the veggies pretty simple, so I could get the full effect of their natural flavors.  No cheating by cooking them with garlic and bacon, or smothering them in lots of sauce or cheese to cover up the flavor.  I decided to roast them in the oven with only a little oil, and some salt and pepper.

                                               

There I sat, face to face with a plate full of my veggie enemies.  This was do or die.  I put the first forkful in my mouth and...they still tasted like Eggplant, Okra, and Brussell Sprouts, but they weren't too bad!  Ok, Okra was still pretty bad, but I actually kind of don't hate Brussell Sprouts and Eggplant very much.  They won't probably make it to the top of my favorite veggies list, but I won't turn up my nose to Eggplant and Brussel Sprouts in moderation  I might even throw them on the menu now and then.  If you've got a recipe for Eggplant or Brussell Sprouts, (and maybe even Okra), that you really love, please share!  I'm determined to pull my family onto the misunderstood vegetables band wagon with me.

Today's a new day, let's make it purposeful!

Kara

Comfort Zone Challenge - Day 7

It is a well-established truth, that I have little to no natural talent when it comes to running.  (See "30 Day Comfort Zone Challenge")   To be completely honest, I did win every field day race but one, in second grade, but those glory days faded fast after elementary school.

I have been trying to be a runner for most of my life, and sadly, I've always been a lot better at reading articles on running, than running.  My lack of talent, though frustrating, hasn't weighed too heavily on me however, because I knew I was trying my best, and I was proud of that.  I've even managed to run in a couple of 5k races, over the years.  (Very, very, slowly.)  Those long, arduous, 3 miles however, are the very extent of my ability.  In all my years of running I haven't been able to move past the giant, impenetrable, wall that is 3 miles.  I have honestly always thought that this might really be the extent of what my legs are capable and handling.

Questioning my limits has become my new favorite hobby, so yesterday, I dared to go where I have never gone before...I was going to run 4 miles, even if it killed me!

Not willing to face running outside in the South, in July, (a comfort zone challenge for another day, perhaps), I stepped onto the treadmill, with a healthy mix of determination and fear.

It took forever, and it wasn't pretty, but I ran FOUR miles!

I'm beginning to feel invincable!

Today's a new day, let's make it purposeful!
Kara

Comfort Zone Challenge - Day 6

I like to think that I can do a lot of things pretty well.  I can jump rope, I can shuffle a deck of cards, and even do that cool bridge trick, I can hold my own at a knee war on the trampoline, I can walk the dog with a yo yo, blow a giant bubble with bubble gum, and I can even do that timeless break dancing move, "The Worm".  (A skill I've possessed since the third grade.)   I can do a lot of things, but I can not play the piano.

I used to have high hopes of playing the piano beautifully.  I told my parents of this desire when I was ten years old.  With faith in my ardent promise to practice, my parents bought a piano, and signed me up for lessons.  I had a always loved music, and I was sure that playing the piano would come easily to me.  It didn't.  All those little black notes..."Every good bird does fly", "FACE".  So many fingers, so many keys. treble clef, bass clef, sharps and flats, it made my head hurt!  I just wanted to play music; this felt more like math!  I struggled to read notes and to play well for two years, and didn't progress like I wanted.  Finally, feeling defeated, I quit.

My love of music never left me, and eventually I found my way to instruments that came more easily to me, like the guitar and the violin.  I found some measure of success playing those instruments but still never progressed much past "Chopsticks", on the piano.

Playing the piano is way outside of my comfort zone.  Way outside as in,  giant leaps outside my comfort zone.  I love to listen to others play, but I've accepted the truth that I will never be good at playing the piano.

Over the last several days, all this comfort zone redefining, has reminded me that we have to challenge our perceived limits if we want to grow.  Fine.  I'll give it another go.

I sat at the piano, determined, but painfully aware of my lack of skills.  I picked a song to attempt, that I have loved for years, "Sheep May Safely Graze", by Bach.  My husband, who plays the piano beautifully, often plays this song, and each time, I find myself drawn into the room to get a better listen.  Surely the hopes of mastering such a beautiful song will keep me motivated to keep on trying, even when it's difficult.

Still finding it necessary to repeat "Every good bird does fly", embarrassingly frequently, I slowly but surely began to play the song.  After 45 minutes of struggling, I can now officially play the first eight measures...of the right hand.  This is wimpy progress, I know, but it's progress.

I'm determined to keep trying.  Maybe one day I will be able to draw someone into the room, just to get a better listen, instead of covering their ears and running for the door.

Today's a new day, let's make it purposeful!
Kara

Comfort Zone Challenge - Day 5

Vivid in my mind is the memory of my bridal shower.  I remember feeling loved, and slightly overwhelmed,  surrounded by family and friends, and piles and piles of toasters, crockpots,  picture frames, and books with advice on marriage.  I remember my mom sitting next to me while I opened gifts, faithfully writing down, in meticulous detail, everything about each gift:  "Floral print bath towels, Aunt Hortencia,  left-handed, olive green, oven mitt, Cousin Mildred."  (I'm taking some artistic liberties with names and gifts to make things more interesting).

I remember thinking that my mom's faithful record of the gifts, so that I could send out dozens of "Thank You" cards, was a bit excessive and unnecessary.  I was, after all, offering a heartfelt thank you, in person, after each gift I opened.

I remember the list of names.  I remember my mom's gentle yet persistent reminders to send out the "Thank You" cards.  I remember putting off this task.  And, I'm ashamed to say, I remember my mom finally taking over, and sending out the cards herself.

Nineteen years later, I am ready to mend my ways, make my mom proud, and show my gratitude for people I love, by writing a few well-deserved, and long overdue "Thank You", cards.

I sat down this morning, with my pen in hand, and wrote a sincere note of thanks to the first five people that came to mind.  It was easier than I thought it would be!  As soon as I thought of a specific person, it wasn't hard to recall many reasons to be thankful for them in my life.  I'm pretty sure that I could repeat this exercise every day for the rest of my life, and never struggle to think of five more people who deserve my thanks.

Sharing my gratitude felt great!  I might even start making detailed lists!  I will, absolutely, do my best to remember that five minutes and a stamp is a pretty easy and effective way to show thanks.

Today's a new day, let's make it purposeful!
Kara

Comfort Zone Challenge - Day 4

I've never been very comfortable with Shakespeare.  I feel uncultured for even thinking such a thought, but it's true!  I know that he is a genius, and that his writing has been valued and loved for centuries for a reason.  I want to like it, but reading Shakespeare has always been for me a little like eating Brussel Sprouts...I know they're good for me, I know I should like them, but I just don't.

Feeling pretty certain that my disinterest in Shakespeare exists mostly because I haven't given him enough of a chance, I decided to give my literary comfort zone a stretch, and try again to enjoy reading Shakespeare.

I woke up excessively early, (also outside of my comfort zone), and found the old, faded blue, copy of  Macbeth, that has been sitting on my book shelf looking dignified for 15 or so years, but almost never read, and a small book of poetry.   I started by reading a few of the more famous of Shakespeare's sonnets that I remembered reading  and enjoying when I first bought the book of poetry.

 "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

"Like to the lark at break of day arising..."

 "Love is not love which alters when alteration finds..."

I guess I did already have some appreciation for Shakespeare!  Shakespeare undeniably had a gift for words that is unequaled.

Sonnets are surely however, the milk of Shakespeare works.  I needed to brave the meat of his works, and attempt to read a play!  For the next hour I studied Macbeth.  I use the word "study", because there is no such thing as light reading, when it comes to Shakespeare.  I found myself flipping back to the list of characters more than once, to identify the speaker, reading and rereading passages to figure out the meaning, and often referring to the word definitions at the bottom of the page.  After an hour, I was exhausted...exhausted in a happy, cultured, kind of way.

I will probably not keep my copy of Macbeth on my nightstand, but I did take it off the shelf.  I am slowly sloughing off my Shakesperian ignorance, and one beautifully written line at a time, learning to truly appreciate the skill of this great writer.

Today's a new day, let's make it purposeful!
Kara

Comfort Zone Challenge - Day 3

I'm a stay at home mom, with six kids.  It takes a certain measure of organization and routine to make my days productive, my home run smoothly, and my sanity stay intact.  Routine is a good thing, most of the time.  The problem is, I've become so comfortable in my routine, that I rarely stop to question if it's best.  

Yesterday, amidst the whirlwind that is my morning routine:  make breakfast, find matching socks, pack up lunches and homework, to school on time, and then, just enough time to clean the kitchen and do the dishes before I laid the baby down for a nap.  Instead of mindlessly diving in to my morning chores, I stopped, and dared to question my routine, to question my comfort zone.  Sometimes all it takes to stretch our comfort zones is just to do things a little differently than we are used to.  To make a conscious decision to do things a little better.

So, I pulled my attention away from the sink full of dishes, and gave my full attention instead to my sweet little two year old.  The next hour was filled with play dough, blanket forts, and reading books. Lottie was in heaven, eating up every minute of one on one time. I was reminded again, it's the little things that count.  Who knew the sheer joy that a spontaneous game of "Ring Around The Rosies", in the kitchen, could bring to a two year old!

It doesn't take much.  A little bit of effort, a little bit of change, and the rigid boundaries of our comfort zones quickly become much more pliable.

Today's a new day, let's make it purposeful!
Kara