Comfort Zones Are Overrated

It is far too easy to get stuck in a routine of work and responsibility, where you all but forget there is a life outside waiting to be experienced. When I actually left home for work, I would come home and do whatever needed to be done, and if I had something else to do or someone wanted to grab a drink or see a movie, those things were completely dependent on whether I had changed out of my clothes and into my jammies or not. Now that I work from home, I realize this can no longer be a deciding factor as I am often dressed in jammies all day.

Staying in is a choice I would likely make nearly all the time - if I'd let myself go that route. It's not as though I'm intentionally anti-social, I'm just comfortable with me, myself and I. The problem is I could get stuck in my own head for weeks without interacting at any great length with anyone other than my sons. While it's great to be contented in your own company, it is also the fastest way to loose touch with the rest of life.

The more years that pass, the more effort I find is needed to get out among the general public. Toward the end of my career as a hair stylist I chaulked it up to getting my fill of social interaction with clients, but now I'm not so sure that was a big factor. I think it's more about finding peace and gratifying moments just being with myself. I'm all about growth as a person, and indeed being able to exist happily in your own skin is a huge win, but continuing growth requires challenges that only come from human interaction.

I am particularly resistant to venturing out during the cold weather months, but it is possibly even more important during those times to push myself out of that warm and cozy comfort zone. This is where I am grateful beyond measure for the friends and family I have. Whether knowingly or not, they don't let me retreat into my own world for lengthy periods of time. I am part indebted to them for giving me ample reason to stay connected, and honored that my presence in their lives is something they want regularly. When people want you around - want to be around you, it is something that should never be shrugged off. For certain the gain is mutual; we give and we get when we participate in the lives of those around us. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that the benefit of realtionship works in both directions.

It may seem arrogant to own your worth in the lives of others, but I believe it to be ignorant to ignore it. When we make the decision to stay in or go out, it is most often done based on our desire to do what we want. Little thought is given to what we may be denying the people who want our presence. I am not sure that I was fully cognizant of this until I spent most of my time at home. I wouldn't say that I have an inflated sense of myself, but I am appreciative of how those I care about impact my life, so it goes that I likely have a similar effect on theirs as well. Few relationships are one-sided, nor should they be.

Simply being aware that I could live introspectively for lengthy periods of time is enough to ensure that I won't choose that path. My goal is to coninue evolving as a person, to get and to give. There will be time for the kind of reflective solitude that sums up a life, but there is still far too much life to live yet. I'm opting for adjusting the balance of life everyday, rather than relying on a set routine to provide it.