Exploring the Uncomfort Zone
Counterclockwise living is not just about kale salads and Crossfit. And thank goodness for that, as neither is – or is likely to be -- a part of my life. (I hate kale, but not as much as I hate the whole Anointed Superfood of the Year thing. As for CrossFit: Did it, escaped without serious injury – unlike many people – and moved on.)What I mean, more broadly, is that living a healthy, engaged life that actively promotes vitality and youthful energy involves far more than eating well and moving one’s body. It is, as I’ve written about here and in my book, about nurturing a kind of bring-it-on attitude. It’s about purposely (bravely) stepping out of one’s comfort zone to take on challenges, to try new things. Being inquisitive and adventuresome is a hallmark of youthful energy. It is in the Uncomfort Zone that interesting things can happen.You know how trainers will tell you to vary your exercise routine to create “muscle confusion”? If you do the same exercise routine every day, your muscles adapt and soon are not working as hard. You’re on the treadmill for the same 50 minutes, but you’re really getting 25 minutes of a decent work-out. If you switch it up and engage different muscle groups, you give your body a new challenge, and it is forced to answer the call. You begin to make progress rather than merely holding steady.It’s the same with other routines in your life. You’ve spent a lot of years, decades probably, getting good at whatever it is you do. It’s likely that, at mid-life, you have adapted to that work. It is easier, less challenging. Admit it: You are on auto-pilot. (I am speaking about -- and to -- myself here too.) How about pushing yourself into the Uncomfort Zone? How about doing something you are NOT already good at? How about going back to the BEGINNING of some learning curve…just for the heady, scary thrill of it?That’s what these folks did. (You really, really want to click on this link!)And it’s what I’m doing right now as I take on the (self-inflicted) challenge of re-learning ballet (I stopped taking lessons at 12) and dancing The Nutcracker this season with the Eugene Ballet Company.What can you do to shake it up?