Bust Out Of The Comfort Zone...

I read somewhere that we tend to be more cautious, and as a result, less adventurous as we grow up. Like when I was ten years old, I would ride every crazy, spinning contraption at the Mid-South Fair, over and over, the rougher the  ride, the better.

But now, I look at those same rides and think, “you know, that doesn’t really look like it’s put together that well…it’s not very stable…and aren’t some of the screws missing off of that rusty support beam...?”

Or I’ll worry that the giant turkey leg, cotton candy, and funnel cake that I should not have eaten might not stay put after being tossed around relentlessly for three solid minutes.

The truth is, we develop discretionary behavior for a reason...that reason being that we want to live longer.  But occasionally we become a bit too cautious, and life gets dull and predictable. We lose our sense of adventure and our zest for new experiences, and boredom sets in.

So this month, I want to do something adventurous. Not stupid or life-threatening…just interesting and out of the ordinary. Like what? Well, I could go back and ride that rickety roller coaster. (Those screws probably weren’t really holding anything together anyway) Or I could go horseback riding…or ride a bike, or a motor scooter.

I could take a day trip to one of the historic small towns nearby that I’ve never been to, but have always meant to go. I could stroll around, check out all of the cute shops I‘ve never seen, have lunch on the square, and then sit on a bench afterwards and enjoy a flavor of ice cream that I’ve never had before.

Or, I could go to a casino with fifty bucks and try to parlay it into a small fortune. I don’t really know how to play roulette or poker,  but I can play the slots.  I won’t take more than fifty dollars, though…the odds are not in my favor. And, I’ll try to hang onto enough money for dinner, because most casinos have awesome buffets. I’ll call you if I win…

I think I’d rather go to a museum. But I’ll go to one that I wouldn’t ordinarily go to. For instance, I usually gravitate to art museums, but maybe this time I’ll go to the new Ross Perot Museum of Nature and Science.

Don’t you ever just want to do something out-of-the-box? Like take an art class if you think you have no artistic ability, or a writing class if you feel your communication skills aren’t the greatest? (I’ve signed up for a Cheese 101 class. I like cheese, but I want to know more) Learning a new language might be fun. (Going to a new country after you've learned the language would be even MORE fun) If you’re not already a stripper, you could take a pole dancing class. Or, if you’re feeling really fearless, you could jump out of an airplane…after you’ve completed the proper training, of course.

I think we all should do something occasionally (or regularly) that we’ve never done before! Something fun…something adventurous. The point is to expand the boundaries of our comfort zone without putting ourselves in danger. Good luck, and May The Force Be With You!

C