My Comfort Zone ... a true love/hate relationship

Last week I came to the realization that I have a true love/hate relationship with my comfort zone.  Once again I have Slyck to thank for helping me to see this.  This isn't really anything new, just something that I finally see how it touches all aspects of my life - not just how it directly applies to this wellness journey.

Back when I was just 6 years old I started taking piano lessons.  My very first piano teacher was Mrs. Goodman.  Picture if you will the stereotypical "school marm."  She was slim, wore her white hair pulled back in a bun all the time, had glasses and was tough!  I remember practicing a piece of music she had assigned over and over and over again.  She expected perfection and would push until she got it.  I sat one afternoon practicing Solfeggietto and getting so frustrated that I couldn't get it "just right" that I hauled off and kicked the piano.  Of course, I happened to kick the sound panel and it popped off and into the piano.  My parents left it that way as a reminder to not loose my temper.  Thing is that I knew what Mrs. Goodman's expectations of me were and so I pushed myself to meet them.  There were times when I cried from pure frustration, but I never quit.  I didn't like being pushed out of my comfort zone, where it was difficult.  After Mrs. Goodman died, I had a couple of other piano teachers who would assign music that I was able to sight-read easily.  I didn't push myself.  I didn't practice nearly as much.  And, I got bored.  Once in high school I began lessons from Mrs. Lancaster and once again found myself being pushed and challenged.  To this day - Mrs. Goodman is my favorite piano teacher (with Mrs. Lancaster a very close second).  

Looking back I see this pattern in other areas of my life.  Anytime I've been pushed outside of my comfort zone I complain (ok - I whine) and whinge about how hard it is, how much work it is, and once it's done I look back and see it in a new light.  I enjoyed it.  I like the feeling of accomplishment once it's all said and done.  I don't like being put into a position where I don't know how to do something, how to handle it easily.  It spooks me a little.  Of course this triggers one of my biggest fears - failing.  In order to avoid failing I will push myself to learn, to do it right, and to succeed.  And once I've done that, whatever the challenge was is now a part of my comfort zone.  I *know* how to do *this* now.  I did it!  And that reward suddenly makes all the hard work worth it.

Over the past few weeks, Slyck (my trainer) consistently has pushed me out of my comfort zone.  And true to form, I complain the entire time.  However, once that particularly hard session is over, and I've survived, I suddenly feel great and want to do it all over again (and usually get that chance just 2 days later).  

I've learned that while I love having a safe place - a comfort zone - where I'm confident in what I can do,  if I stay in that comfort zone too long I get bored.  I thrive on the challenge - on pushing myself beyond what I already know how to do.  I look forward to being presented with new challenges.  Of course, I'm going to complain about them when they show up.  ;)

Until the next challenge ...