I don't know whether to be surprised, happy, or annoyed, for I've stepped, or I should say I was dragged into, once more leaving my comfort zone to attempt something new.
While in Honolulu and out for a relaxing afternoon sail and snorkel with family members and new friends, the skipper of our vessel decided that those of us least familiar with sailing should learn the thrill of this sport! I fully expected that he would honor the "cowering comfortably in the corner" position that I had assumed, that I would not be one of those called upon! Wrong!
On my feet, shaky, embarrassed, and somewhat just ticked off.....I soon found that the mystery of the wind in the sails was NOT such a mystery, that the boat would actually respond to my hands on the wheel and that my miserable deckhands (while snickering a bit) would also respond as I heartily (well, maybe not quite heartily) announced the actions I expected them to perform on my command! I could go on.....however,
The lesson is not lost on me that after all of these years of adamantly lobbying against the sport of sailing, that sport being one which my spouse finds totally alluring, I believe that I now could actually be persuaded to venture onto a LAKE, or a small body of water - a BAY - in order to learn more about sailing without the dread fears that I've harbored all of these years.
So, chalk it up to - the timing was right, I'm too stubborn for my own good/fun, I'm a show off, I can be intimidated into "service" or what - it was a grand day for me on a sailboat and I look forward to the next sailing event.
That being said, you might remember some time ago I posted words about that "comfort zone" thing....so how are you doing on stepping out of your comfort zone these days? Any good reports?
I'm now listing swimming and snorkeling in the ocean without my trusty life preserver, surfing, sailing, entering 3 art shows - being accepted into two.....let's hear some good reports for you steady readers!
Photo SEW Kanehoe, HI
i think a scooter ride should be next on your agenda :-) i had no idea you were so averse to sailing, but i guess it goes along with the rest of that "water stuff" which you seem to be diving head on into :-)
ReplyDeleteoff the top of my head for moving out of my comfort zone...going back to school, skydiving, sailing, scootering, submitting poetry and short stories, creating my very own couple's workshop, raising teens, going to paris alone...sounds like a good start to me :-)
hooray for us!!!
btw--great photo. i have a very similar one of "captain lucy" :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, the water theme does seem prominent on the "out of comfort" zone, but obviously I'm making steps toward bringing that to a rest:)
ReplyDeleteLove your list - it's a good one. Lots of "s" words in it - spooky?
xoxo
Sailing would be in my pleasure zone. It would be in my comfort zone to manage the boat until land disappeared or the boat weighed more than about 4 tons. I would welcome the chance to expand the comfort zone for sailing.
ReplyDelete"Prepare to come about!" "Come where?"
"Trim the mains'l!" "Where are the scissors?"
Slow and quiet are characteristics of one good environment for expanding the comfort zone.
At the other end of the spectrum from slow and quiet is another area to push the edges of the comfort zone. Here are some images that my friend, Buck, captured on July 19, at Texas World Speedway, while I was trying to expand my comfort zone.
It's a good thing I wear a face shield. With the grin plastered on my mug, bugs in the teeth could be part of the experience.
It looks like that big grin showed up for you as well as you pushed back the limits. Keep on pushing those limits! Yeehaw!
Lucy - I'm leaving the skydiving and scootering to you, but thank you for the suggestion:) Yes, pushing the limits seems to be a family trend or bug or something that we've all caught as you'll note the Geezer's smiling face and photos in his reply to me.
ReplyDeleteGeezer - loved the photos - actually viewed all of those little clips. Those leaning curves look plenty good to me, but I enjoy the smiling face afterwards the best:) Cool duds you've got there!
Thanks for the comments you two!
xoxoxo
Well done you, I liked this story. Especially the bit about being dragged out of your cowering corner. I know that space!
ReplyDeleteSailing holds no interest for me, although I did once 'captain' a canal boat for the duration of a week-long family holiday, which was vaguely fun.
Getting out of my comfort zone, let's see:
Going part-time at the beginning of the year, both because of the financial loss close to retirement and because as a dyed-in-the-wool workaholic, my job provided a lot of my identity.
Being forced (OK, maybe not exactly forced) by Lucy to stand right next to the edge on the Eiffel Tower in imminent danger of being sucked into the vertiginous drop below. (Lucy seemed to think that the strong steel and wooden railings would hold me. Hmmm, turns out they did.)
Realising that my friends just don't have the same taste in movies as I do and going to things I want to see alone rather than waiting for the DVD to come out.
Writing poetry and actually posting it on my blog for people to see. (Still not sure about that one...)
Accepting an invitation to teach the Enneagram at an Irish retreat centre this November. I've never taught it anywhere other than my beloved Turvey Abbey, where I know the timetable inside-out and am completely familiar with all the facilities.
Great question, thank you. Look forward to hearing more about the art exhibitions.
Tess, what wonderful comments.....relating to that cowering corner - "maybe they won't see me" - so silly
ReplyDeletewe are to engage in our third grade demeanor. Your out of comfort zone list is impressive and I hope you're feeling the FT to PT was the right thing for you. I understand that being identified with work thing - so much a part of our lives, how could it not be a big thing to relinquish! Eiffel Tower thing - oh my gosh - don't even get me started on the suspension bridge I crossed up in Vancouver, WA.....the only thing I could think about was that I had to return the same way. I went out of my cz on that one and I NEVER have to do that one again!
So glad you treat us from time to time with your poetry. The compliments you receive from your readers are well deserved. And the last one, teaching (or performing/speaking, etc.) in a new venue - why does that one get us ? We could liken it to just "changing clothes" but it still seems to be a "biggie" out of comfort zone.
Well, see how much I loved your comment, I've written another post!
Thank you.
Tess - well not really another post - just a big comment:)
ReplyDeleteTerror on the Eiffel Tower and crossing the suspension bridges would certainly be out of my comfort zone. Isn't it cool to have done it?! Even you will NEVER do that again.
ReplyDeleteUnlike one of the very adventurous and articulate contributors to this forum, I probably will NOT jump out of a perfectly good airplane.
Those adventures remind of riding a mule from the South Rim to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. What a grand and terrifying experience! My memory is sufficiently impaired that I would probably do it again. M is pleased that she shared the adventure, but will NOT do that again!
I guess one of the points in this discussion is that it is so exhilarating when we choose to step out of the comfort zone and live to tell about it; and even to savor the experience.
AND you can put on my lists of I will not have the mule ride of Grand Canyon on my "step out of cz" list!!
ReplyDeleteThat would be my "step out into terror" list. I truly enjoy that "living to tell about it" business:)
Thanks for your fun and active comments to this post!
xoxo