Hiya Herd Sis,

I want to talk to you about getting out of your comfort zone.

Sometimes that means learning a new task or skill, going to a party when it’s more comforting to stay home with a good book, or embarking on a new career or creative endeavor.

In this particular case, it’s about, getting out of your surroundings.

Just a few days ago over high tea (When in Rome, People! Or in this case, London.), my eldest turned me to me and said, "Thank you for getting me to go this trip.  I didn't realize how badly I needed to just get away for a bit."  

Sometimes, we are so entrenched in our day-to-day that we don’t realize that we just need a break from it all.  
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I, in turn, thanked her for getting me outside my comfort zone.  It wasn’t an easy decision to allow her to attend college abroad.  I hadn’t flown overseas in over 15 years and admittedly , I was nervous.  I kept having to remind myself that, once upon a time, I did this with ease AND without a smart phone!

This last-minute, against-all-odds trip got us both outside of our environments and comfort zones; something we both desperately needed.  She initially balked due to a looming project and work.  And I nearly canceled due to a sick pet.  

In the days and moments leading up to the decision to go or not, it just seemed easier to each of us to tend to our home needs.  To stay entrenched in our routines.

What changed?  Well, couple of things:

• I had loads of encouragement and support from my better half.  In fact, he asked me, what do you really want to do?  Without hesitation, I answered, "See my girl."
• I’m also trying to leap more as its my word of the year.  Honestly, if not now, then when?!  There will always be work.  There will never be an ideal time to just slip away. 

You see, sometimes our comfort zones aren't so comforting.  They are just familiar routines that keep us where we are. 

If we stay where we are, nothing will change and that includes us.  There is no room for growth, opportunities, or awe in our comfort zones.

This trip was a leap out of my comfort zone.  The first of many.

Getting out of dodge not only brought my daughter and I together for a few days, it gave us new perspective and appreciation for taking a break.

Friends, do yourself a favor and give yourselves the break you deserve and need.  You don't have to jump the pond to do it either!

• Take a mental health day and ask yourself, "What do I want today?"  There are no wrong answers!  Just honor your desires.
• If you are one to sit at your desk for lunch, take yourself out!  Step away from your desk and piles.  Even if it's just for a walk.
• Say no to obligations more and say yes to things, people, and activities that bring you joy.

Please share with us in the comments below, all the ways you are getting out of your comfort zone. You know you'll always find all the support you need in the Herd!

Cheers,
Carolyn

Hey Herd Sister,

Now it's time to share my Word of the Year for 2022. Last year, my word was flow, and I focused on being less resistant and allowing. If you missed it, read about it here.
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This year, I want to take action.

I am a chronic overthinker and can talk myself out of just about anything from a morning workout that I know will make me feel great, to trying new avenues in my career.

I'm past my mid-century point. When I think about that, images of a roller coaster come to mind. I'm just over the apex of the tallest hill, hovering in the seconds before the thrill of plummeting downward. 

​I'm caught in that brief moment of razor-sharp clarity where I realize this ride will come to an end, and the time to have fun and take chances is NOW.

Who knew roller coasters could be so revelatory?

I don't feel old, but I am aware of the passage of time and how quickly it can go by. What's the point of even being on the ride if I am filled with fear and regret? I want to take in the aerial views and throw my hands up in the air.

I want to LEAP.  

Ok, not off the roller coaster, per se, but into life!  

I want to stop second-guessing myself and trust my initial instincts. I want to have faith that the Universe always has my back, no matter what.  

And ultimately, I want to have faith in ME.

Taking a Leap means:

• Facing fear regularly. Like most other things in life, the more I do this, the better I will get at staring fear in the face.
• Feeling more exhilarated. When I step outside my comfort zone, I am forced off of auto-pilot and into being present.
• Being open to possibilities. I do believe that the more options I explore, the more opportunities the Universe will present to me.
• Realizing freedom from my own fear-induced, self-imposed limits.
• Intuiting more. By trusting my inner voice, I hope to drown out her buzzkill roomate, Negative Nelly.​

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I may not become a Leaper overnight. It will happen in the most minor ways, like pulling the trigger on the roman shades that I know I love but continue to talk myself out of.

Or recently, when I purchased a ticket to a workshop to see a favorite author and speaker.

I had just finished listening to a seminar she gave when I thought how I would regret not ever having seen her in person.  So I followed my instincts, clicked through her website, and bought the non-refundable ticket for a workshop… in Amsterdam.  

Oh yes, I did!

Without buying the plane tickets, without having a hotel booked. Without having it all figured out. 

I Leaped.

Or leapt, for you Brits. And I am so looking forward to that trip.

But back to that roller coaster imagery and my word for 2022, I am no longer white-knuckled and filled with worry.

Sitting on top of the world and sensing the gravitational pull of a thrilling ride I know will end, I throw my hands up in surrender of my need for control and having all the answers.

This year, I leap, and I hope you do too.

Lots of love,
Carolyn