Freedom in Fearlessness

Ninety percent of the stuff in the store I was in last week was supposed to ring up 40% off. The one thing I wound up actually wanting was this mug--which, of course, was part of the less thrilling 10% of merchandise that sat at full price. It didn't matter, though. "Great things never came from comfort zones," has become my mantra over the last couple of years. Combine the words with the color and I was sold.

At the time, I didn't realize the mug was part of a campaign by Natural Life (www.naturallife.com) called Fearless. The campaign aims to educate, empower, and reduce the stigma of anxiety disorders. Well, I could certainly get on board with that considering how many people I know with various forms of anxiety--including myself.

One of the things that used to give me anxiety was reliance on comfort zones. Truthfully, I'd be lying if I said that I never craved them anymore, but I find myself more anxious over giving in to them these days than wanting them. Maybe that's because I look back and see how much of my time they wasted. 
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There's nothing like losing a huge array of comfort zones all in one shot to make you realize that life does go on without them. It might not be pleasant--in fact, losing your stomping grounds, the close proximity of friends, the assurance that certain family members would always be there for you, financial security, and a bit of your identity all in one swoop can be breakdown material. When it's all over, though? You have to stop reaching for what is no longer there and move forward. It's then that you learn some things:

• I didn't have to censor my views or even my writing. It's not like the new environment I've found myself in will ever come as close to my heart as what I lost. So I don't fear losing it if I'm ridiculed or not accepted for the topics I write about, my views, writing style, etc.
• Change is freeing. I don't need to cling to one or two writing nooks at the cafes I frequented because I happily knew what to expect there. Instead, I can explore new places to take my work outside my office. I might never call a spot my own again, but who needs that anyway? What do they call it when you go through your day as a mere observer? A student of life?
• The people who let you go without a second thought due to distance aren't worth my need for them to be in my life. But those friends who keep up with your life and share theirs with you frequently by phone and social media? Well, they have risen above comfort zone material to something much nicer. No, they are pure platinum ... they are fixtures of the heart.

Have you axed any comfort zones lately?

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