My comfort zone is staying busy and moving from one thing to the next, change tasks but not behavior. I like to keep my mind occupied. I get a lot done. But is that the change I want? Am I working on what matters?
When my mind is busy there is no room to deal with issues I tuck away.
My comfort zone is holding me back from real change.
Status Quo. Keep Busy.
I came home from the gym last night and had to get a few of our events posted in our private Facebook group for the Northglenn Health and Fitness members.
I’m posting about the Denver Donut 5K that we will do together, a Mom’s & Mimosa’s event, obstacle course, and a bunch of other fun things!
I wanted to get most things posted for the 1st half of the year so everyone could save the date!
All this is happening from the living room, on the floor. Why? It’s just me. I come home from the gym, walk in and open my laptop and I start back up again.
I am Always. On.
I am always immersed in my tasks.
If there is a Go button, mine is stuck in place.
As I’m frantically typing away, answering comments, responding to texts, I’m realize my husband is on the phone with his Grandmother.
Fond Memories. Good Connection.
She turned 96 yesterday. She lives in Florida so he doesn’t see her much.
He’s sitting in his chair on the phone. Completely engrossed in the conversation.
They are talking about her husband, his grandfather, who passed away about 10 years ago.
He’s telling her stories that his grandfather told him about WWII.
She’s telling him stories of how she has fond memories playing with her kids when they were toddlers.
She reminisces about sitting on the floor with her boys, Bruce (Patrick’s dad) and Gary (Patrick’s uncle) and they would build things and play. She was laughing, thinking back on those memories.
I finally stopped. And just listened.
I closed the laptop.
It was vivid. I could actually picture Patrick’s dad as a toddler and it was incredible. All the detail and clarity she brought to that back from another lifetime ago.
Patrick was laughing and smiling and not distracted. Not multi tasking. Patrick was intentionally in a conversation with his grandmother.
Memories of Loss. And Work.
February of 2001. My mom died of suicide when I was at work one night about 8pm.
July 2005. My phone rang at work and it was a call from the hospital that my dad was admitted and would not last much longer.
October 2014. I got a Facebook message from my cousin Sara letting me know that my grandmother died, while I was on a plane traveling to Amsterdam for work.
It’s 2021.
My mom died 20 years ago. And I’m in the same cycle.
I don’t think back on conversations with my family, like the one Patrick had last night with his grandmother. Because they didn’t happen.
I didn’t make the effort to be in the moment. There was always tomorrow.
Until there isn’t.
Reflecting
When he got off the phone, I told him how incredible that conversation was. What a gift he had given his grandmother.
She lives in an independent living facility in Florida and has been isolated for almost a year now due to COVID-19.
She just wanted to connect with her grandson and he was fully there.
Patrick has an amazing gift to be patient, calm and present.
I want that between me and my family, me and others. But what am I willing to do to change it? My comfort zone is holding me back.
Find Your Change Catalyst
No better way to learn than to immerse myself in with people, like my husband, that can be present and actually enjoy the moment they are in.
It will take effort on my part. It will take me getting out of my comfort zone in order for me to change.
And I will have to intentionally work on it. I can’t just wish it to be.
If you are someone that wants to make a change. Find a community that embodies the change you want. Watch them, learn from them, and model them.
This ties to so many areas of life. Growth by immersion, right?
Language.
Culture.
Fitness.
If you are reading this, most likely you are on a journey to change some area of your life. Fitness, Nutrition, Health, Stress, Sleep.
Immerse yourself in our company. Join our community. Find your self-care.
Book an intro with us, for free, and be in the moment with us. Tell us what you want and we’ll tell you how to get there. It might take you out of your comfort zone. But isn’t that exactly what you need?