Getting Out of Your Element

Being someone who NEEDS routine, getting "out of my element" is a scary proposition for me. Trying new restaurants or new kinds of food is traumatizing. (Just ask Marcia and Dion when they talked me into eating at an Indian restaurant in Stirling)

The whole reason why I don't go to the gym has nothing to do with my own laziness (which I am), but it also stems from the fear of the unknown. "What if people laugh at me? I don't have the stamina to stay on an elliptical machine for more than 3 minutes (on a good day!). I look like a frikken moose for crying out loud!"

The crazy part about my own personal fears are they sound a lot like those people who want to attempt to get organized.

"What if I fail?"

"What if I can't maintain it?"

"I'm so afraid of change."

Well, if I can eat some kind of Indian "Coma" Chicken, albeit because I had two encouraging South Africans holding my hand the whole way, you can get out of your element as well. Sometimes having a friend, a coach, or someone else encouraging you along the way helps out tremendously!

In the last two years I haven't worn a short sleeved shirt (not even in the 120 degree Arizona weather), but in the last 4 months you will be hard pressed NOT to find me in a cute little shirt perfect for the heat. Mostly because I have finally had someone convince me that it isn't THAT bad.

If you would have recommended going to the batting cages at any point in my life, I would have laughed so hard I would have pissed myself! Last month, not only did I attempt to swing a bat I actually hit 80% of the balls shot at me!

I got out of my little apartment life and even joined a bowling league! Talk about CRAZY!

Of course, I can't take all of the credit for stepping a little out of the boundaries of the norm, that I owe to the guy who brings me flowers on a weekly basis just because he knows how much I love them. When I braved the batting cages, he let me watch him do it, we talked about timing, he let me miss the first few balls, and then he gave me just a few little pointers until I figured it out all on my own. Talk about feeling triumphant!

Not only have I found some new found fun, I also discovered that I am quite competitive! My little bowling team is first place for the summer league, I am bound and determined NOT to have to wear the Jake Plummer Denver Broncos jersey, and I am having a ball doing the things I was terrified to try.

If you are afraid to get out of your element, just find a couple of things that may be easy to achieve. Have a friend, a loved one, or a coach help encourage you along the way or even go with you. Beyond anything though, just enjoy it!

I knew no one would believe that I tried the Indian food so I just HAD to take a picture of it! Along with a bunch of the other things people won't believe I actually did!!!! Why not take your own pictures along the way so you can remember the satisfaction of a job well done!