Comfort Zones: Learn To Push Them!

Comfort zones…we all have them. But why is it that, more times than not, it takes unforeseen circumstances to push us out of the “zone” instead of a self-elected, bold step into the abyss? One of my comfort zones is my addiction to habit…it doesn’t matter if the “habit” is two months or two years old. If it is a part of my routine, I cherish the consistency it brings to my life and feel its loss deeply once it’s gone.

 

In just one week’s time, a budding relationship that I was certain had longevity ended, I totaled my car in an accident, and my two-year-old son was extremely sick with a stomach flu that seemed to last forever. Any one of these situations would have elevated my heart rate on its own, but when they all hit at once, I was convinced I would need blood pressure medicine by week’s end!! Things that were there were now MIA and my daily routine was now up in the air. As I stood outside the “zone,” pondering how to get back in it, I received a call from Fila about the Desert Fashion show where Yogahitch was being featured. To my surprise, they asked me if I would walk my collection down the runway. Before my conscious mind could intervene, my subconscious mind said, “YES!”

As I hung up the phone, heart in hand, sick child in arms and one fog light from my truck staring at me from my dining table (the mechanic thought it would be funny to return it to me) I wondered where that “yes” came from. It definitely didn’t come from the woman trying to get her routine back on track or the one who suffered from stage fright her entire life—but it did! It’s as if my subconscious mind was screaming to take control of decisions that would get me out of my comfort zone…and that it did!

After my fitting on Saturday (held in a semi-private room for all to see), with hair and make-up complete, I was as ready as I was ever going to be to step out of my zone and into the abyss. There I stood, in the show’s line-up, watching the group in front of me get smaller as the models made their entrance onto the runway. To my surprise, I felt my nervous fear turn into excitement. Excitement over what a gift the universe brought to me and pride over the fact that I took control of my comfort zone by walking a fashion show at age 38! As I made my entrance onto the runway, with its bright lights and bumping beats, it occurred to me, whether I was the oldest or shortest woman on the catwalk that day was irrelevant, because I knew, hands down, I was one the happiest!