Out of My Comfort Zone Once Again
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." ~Neale Donald Walsch
I was gifted with not one, but two out-of-my-comfort-zone experiences on Thursday. Lucky me! No, really. Lucky me.The first experience came in the form of two back-to-back texts from Jen, the bride half of the bride and groom I will be joining in matrimony this July:
1) Hellooooooo. So, I was wondering if you and Janie might like to sing "For Good" at our reception. :) I haven't asked her yet, but if you are on board, I will! No pressure, though!
2) It is just for fun.... Mike Ingersoll will be there, and I'm sure he can play it on the keyboard. :)
I am a performer. I've performed on stage since I was five. Jane is a performer, too. (She has a voice that would remind you of Carrie Underwood. Really) We performed this song together in a Broadway review back in... 2005, I believe.
It's been several years, however, since I've sung a full-out, Broadway-style solo or duet in front of an audience, and I'm rusty. It took me two days to get back to Jen with my answer. In those two days, I sang through "For Good" (Elphaba's part) about ten times to see where I was vocally.
My answer: yes. Eek.
It's fine. More than fine, actually. It will be fun, and it will be a no-pressure environment. Besides, I love the song, and I love Jane and Jen. Win, and win.
The second experience came shortly after that, when I was changing to go to an appointment. I'd been revisiting eBay to find clothing by a particular designer I like, in a smaller size. :: grin :: I found a beautiful blouse, and won the bid (less than 10% of the retail price!), and it arrived on Wednesday, which was great timing. I put the blouse on Thursday afternoon, and it fit beautifully.
What pushed me outside my comfort zone? It fit, as in, it is much more fitted to my body than I'm used to. Virtually everything I own is loose; billowy, even, at this point. This blouse fit me, and while it looked good (fabulous, perhaps), the fact that I could see more of my shape - albeit a smaller shape - gave me pause.
Time was in my favor in that I didn't have time to consider another option. I had to wear it, and I'm so glad I did. I felt confident, professional, and feminine all at once. That's a powerful combination.
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." ~Neale Donald Walsch
I figure the one-two punch of being pushed out of my comfort zone twice in the same day means life is beginning again, much as it does every day I wake up and start anew... Except, on Thursday, life was a bit more edgy and bright.
When is the last time you stepped outside your comfort zone, and what was the result?
