Want to know where the magic in life happens?
I’ll tell you where it doesn’t happen: it doesn’t happen in comfy pants on the sofa.
It happens in The Stretch Zone.
The place outside your comfort zone.
The place where you feel the scareyness but take a deep breath and do it anyway.
The place where things can go wrong, but you feel compelled to act anyway.
Magic happens when we name a dream that really stretches us and then move towards it.
Magic happens when we get onto our mat in the studio and commit to that hours practice each week and see our bodies and minds subtly change over time.
I am a big fan of the comfort zone, easy is nice and easy is good and easy is predictable which is relaxing. But for a truly positive balance in my life I know I need to spend a measured percentage of my time outside that zone. Stretching myself even if it’s uncomfortable and/or scary. Being open for the magic to happen.
Some, in fact all, of the most magical things in my life happened way outside my comfort zone (big promotions, a years solo world travel, meeting my husband, buying a house, launching my own business, turning a business upside down restructuring then winning a national award, my first ever yoga class, everything!)
This year my ‘where the magic happens’ scary-pants goal is to write and publish a book. It scares and excites me all at the same time, not so much the content but being disciplined enough to make the time. Gak!
I love working with my clients as they move from the comfy pants on the sofa to realizing dreams that used to scare the pants off them but is now their life. Start their own business. Go travel volunteer in Vietnam. Get that awesome new job. Reclaim time and energy from their families. Make their health a priority. Say NO to some stuff. Say YES to some scary stretch zone stuff. It’s really is a magical process to watch unfold.
It’s all about balance I think (don’t I always :)). Have some stretch in some areas of your life but some comfort zones to retreat to in others. Get a ratio of comfy pants to scaredy pants that works for your life.
Where can you embrace the stretch zone this year? What would stretch you in terms of your body? Your work? Your interests? Your family? Your skills?
How big a stretch should it be? The very magical businessmeister Seth Godin says
“Over Your head? Once the water is deep enough that you must swim to stay afloat, does it really matter how deep the pool is?”
I like that. That once you move outside the comfort zone out is out, so, you know, you might as well really go for it. Thing big. Act big. Be big.
I am hoping to magic up something to grace your bookshelves next year (gulp!). What is in your Stretch Zone for 2012?
