Information Related to "Comfort Zones: Meant to be Broken"
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In the midst of the Swiss Alps, I clung desperately to a cliff face that demanded both proper gear and experience, and reflected that I had neither.My right hand clutched a tuft of grass, my left hand knocked away loose stones, and my feet were splayed against the rock as I felt a sickeningly slow loss of traction. There was no other human being in sight, and I knew I must either keep moving or fall.
I had lost the path heading over the ridge—and though I soon realized the error, the slope was too steep to descend safely.I kept going, realizing too late that a disastrous mix of misguided optimism, perceived necessity and stubbornness had brought me to a very dangerous position, maintained only by rapidly tiring muscles.
I was two weeks into a month of backpacking solo through nine European countries, and the past five days alone had brought six languages, four currencies and countless border crossings.
As I set off from home, many mistakenly chalked the adventure up to bravery. But I did not go because I am a fearless adventurer. As a methodical, organized and reserved perfectionist with a deep need to feel competent, my comfort zone was nowhere to be found.
It was not until after I returned home that I finally realized that was the point. I had set off from the United States not completely sure how I would survive a month on my own, and returned a relatively experienced traveler, with priceless life lessons and a deeper knowledge of myself that could not have been learned except through facing the challenging situations I encountered. Although the wisdom of my choices can be questioned (I deeply appreciate God's mercy and protection!), the lessons I learned are important ones.
In both physical and spiritual matters, people often meet every challenge—and thus every opportunity—with a well-practiced list of excuses for why they will avoid the issue or why they will only expect a mediocre performance from themselves. But fears are conquered only through action, and they are only intensified by avoidance.
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Table of Contents that includes "Comfort Zones: Meant to be Broken"
Other Articles by Debbie Whitlark
Re-published from an earlier version
Courage: