Creating meaningful relationships and building a Tribe first requires that you put more focus on YOU the leader of your Tribe! Today I want to talk to you about putting yourself out there in some new way. You have heard all the popular quotes about our comfort zone like “Nothing grows in the comfort zone” and “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” It is human nature to seek safety and comfort in our day-to-day lives. However, I can attest that every time something utterly amazing happened in my own life, it was the result of stepping into a new opportunity! Some notable historic figures share this advice on facing fear and trying something new: “Always do what you are afraid to do.” (1841) —Popularized by Ralph Waldo Emerson Most recently for me I received a challenge of sorts to compete in the Mrs. Colorado America pageant. The pageant world had never crossed my mind and in all my years I had never considered such a thing! Well after my initial reflex answer “Heck No!” I landed on “Why Not”. The experience was “crazy” but so rewarding. I grew in so many ways and my life will never be the same. I am grateful I accepted the challenge! “Do something every day that you don’t want to do.” (1897) —Mark Twain This quote reminds me of a few terrific books I have read like Eat that Frog, First Things First, The Slight Edge and The Compound Effect. The thought process is to build habits that get the tough to-do’s out of the way, and it makes the rest of the day better since you “accomplished” something. Also, creating this habit of making small adjustments out of your comfort zone add up over time to make big things happen for you! “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” (1960) —Eleanor Roosevelt This is all about stretching yourself and putting that little voice in your head that says “I can’t” on notice! You are a capable, talented individual and you CAN do anything you set your mind to! It feels good to say “suck it” to your ego! You can to it! “Do one thing every day that scares you.” (1997) —Mary Schmich Recently I was interviewed by Holly Stearnes on Ticker News which is a world-wide live stream 24/7 News station out of Australia. I must admit it was quite terrifying because all I knew going into it was the timeslot. Once I logged in to the studio feed I was introduced, and we were off to the races. Holly asked me a handful of questions about the importance of connecting with people post-pandemic. Off the cuff, I did my best and it was a great learning experience that definitely took me out of my comfort zone! Yes, it can be a little scary to put yourself out there and try something you have never done before! Here are four reasons why it is worth the risk!
Fear plays a second-string, and your sense of adventure sings.
One of the best and most exciting benefits of trying new things is that you overcome fear. Fear is simply our reaction to the unknown. As you practice accepting new experiences, fear will transform from a crippling factor to a minor speed bump. Your adventurous self is set free and let’s face it, our adventurous selves are fun and exciting. Approaching new tasks with the spirit of adventure sets us up for success and that helps us approach the next challenge with more confidence.
Shake-up your hum-drum routine.
Ever heard that time moves faster as you get older? In part, this is because life becomes routine once you enter adulthood and before you know it, years have passed. By trying new things regularly, time becomes marked by these unique experiences no matter how steady your day-to-day work life may be. By trying new things, you benefit from new adventures and special memories that will last a lifetime.
You will get to know yourself better and create inner harmony.
What if the next new thing you try is the passion of your life? The more you try, the more you will learn about your likes and dislikes—because they are unique to you! As you do so, you will figure out who you are and who you want to become. Even if you think you know yourself pretty well, you will learn something new because you are putting yourself in a new situation.
Creativity, brainpower and thinking skills will be keyed up.
Perhaps the best benefit of trying new things is that it can increase your creative capacity. Every single time you put yourself in a new situation, you force your brain to quickly understand a unique set of circumstances, process how to manage those circumstances and develop a new set of skills. In other words, you are training your brain to creatively solve something new every time you try. There you have it! Go out there and do something crazy! Something that scares you just a bit and makes you feel alive! Maybe this is jumping off a cliff or getting out into the world to meet new people. Baby steps or big leaps, it does not matter. You never know what doing something completely new will bring into your life! Until next time! When three or more Gather, We are Tribe
All my love,
Brenda www.brendaridgley.com BRENDA RIDGLEY is an author, speaker, and girlfriend guru who loves helping women connect, find success, and discover joy through friendship. Her mission is to start a movement: women coming together to build thousands of new Lady Tribes around the globe. Through her workshops, vlogs, blogs, and book clubs, Brenda helps women connect and communicate with respect, love, and trust. She holds an MA in human resources and has spent decades cultivating her own Tribe. Lady and the Tribe is available on Amazon. To connect with Brenda, visit her website at www.BrendaRidgley.com.
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Watch the interview with Life Coach Tressen Bryant of Lovin Life Coaching where we discuss the mindset of friendship and how to help a friend out of a toxic cycle.