Let’s begin this week with a few jokes. It’s been snowing like crazy where I live, and it probably is the longest winter we have seen in a long time. So here are a few jokes about snow. If you live in a place without snow, I am sorry you are unable to relate.
Q: Why did Frosty the snowman want a divorce? A: Because he thought his wife was a flake
Q: What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire? A: Frostbite.
Q: What do Snowmen call their offspring? A: Chill-dren.
CHALLENGE #2
This challenge goes with last week’s. I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone again and step out if your routine. But what is your “comfort zone” really? What is this invisible boundary that we feel so comfortable and secure inside? Also, how could we benefit from breaking out of our comfort zone? Picture your comfort zone being a chalk circle drawn around you, instead of stepping out of the red circle, why don’t you slowly make your circle larger? Every day, you could draw another circle outside of that circle, and then as time passes, your “comfort zone” grows. That’s what I would like Project Courage to help you accomplish. Instead of forcing you out of your red circle, let’s just make it slightly larger every day.
I could send you all a variety of inspirational quotes to do with courage and stepping beyond your routines to challenge yourself but why would I do that? I know I know, I use them in photos all the time but that’s the point. The point is, we hear inspirational sayings all the time that we have almost become desensitized to them. Rarely do we find a sentence that is so powerful that strikes us completely and moves us to action. So let’s look at the benefits… what do we get when we step out of our comfort zones? Perhaps if we talk about the benefits, then we will all be more convinced to draw another red circle.
- Comfort kills productivity: When we stay in our comfort zones, we become less productive. Face it, it’s a fact. We begin to lose our ambition and become too relaxed with the routines.
- It’ll only get easier: The first few times you draw that circle, it’ll seem terrifying. You may even regret your decision and become anxious or nervous. But you’ll become used to the anxiety and adrenaline that comes with making a new choice or action. It’ll motivate you and push you further.
- It stimulates the mind: When we become accustomed to our actions and day-to-day lives, we begin to lose the gratitude and joy we have for the little things in life. We forget to stop and smell the flowers or marvel at the sunshine. Breaking out of routine allows new areas of your brain to activate, promoting the growth of neuronal connections.
So here are some ways that you could step out of routine this week… I hope you’ll continue to challenge yourself in new ways.
- if you drive or walk to work/school/anywhere else, take a different route
- go vegetarian for a week
- go to a new restaurant on a whim and order something that you have never tried before
- shower at the opposite time that you normally would
- reverse your morning routine; do you normally dress then eat then make your bed? Do that in reverse!
See? It could be so easy, but break your routine this week and try something new. You may find it scary and uncomfortable, but you also may find it rewarding and spectacular. Courage can be found in the smallest of ways, and this week I want my readers to feel accomplished that you have all made your circles a little larger.
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Courage quotes courtesy of http://wekosh.com/daily-motivational-quotes-courage-quotes. Snow jokes retrieved from http://www.jokes4us.com/miscellaneousjokes/weatherjokes/snowjokes.html.
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