Why Being Uncomfortable is the Key to Living.
Years ago a friend of mine gave me this mug. At the time, I was studying for the bar exam and super stressed out. Side note — going to law school in your 30’s with little kids is not recommended. You should go right after college. Anyway, my friend was sending me a gentle reminder that putting yourself out there and challenging yourself beyond your comfort zone is what life is all about. This past weekend I was with my sister in Ocala, Florida at the World Equestrian Center. I was surrounded by a group of individuals who embrace this mantra every day. The experience was incredibly enlightening, empowering, and inspiring and I’d like to share that with you today.
Regardless of whether you are familiar with equestrian sports, the common denominator is a human is riding an animal, a very large animal. These animals have minds of their own. I can’t tell you how many people I watched get launched off their horse while jumping fences, the times the horses decided they just didn’t want to jump (I can’t say I blame them), the times people lost their way on the course, and there were also the miracle times where everything went perfectly. The sheer athleticism it takes to do what they do is amazing.
But what was enlightening was learning the back story of the athletes. Many of the women I met learned to ride in their 30’s and 40’s or they rode growing up and picked it up again later. I think we can all agree that one’s sense of mortality changes as we age, so to decide to start riding or picking riding up again later in life is the definition of life beginning at the end of your comfort zone. I was shocked to learn that so many of them took up this sport later in life. I had assumed they had all been riding their entire life because let’s be honest and revisit the fact they are getting on an animal — with a mind of its own. Why would you do that when you now have the wisdom to know you are no longer invincible?! Why? Because that feeling of accomplishing a goal is so powerful it supersedes all else. You could physically see the impact the nerves were having before the event and the sheer relief when it was all over. The amount of pride they emitted, regardless of how things went, was truly inspiring. They were proud because they put themselves out there and they challenged themselves beyond what was comfortable for them. No one can give you that feeling or take it away. It’s the U Factor.
You don’t have to be an adrenaline junkie to achieve this feeling. Maybe it’s going back to law school in your 30’s, running a 5K, starting a business, or starting a new career, it just has to be you doing something that you want to accomplish that is beyond your norm. Remember though it has to be your goal not someone else’s — you need to Be You.
It’s easier to challenge yourself when you have a support group to keep going, keep pushing. The Find Your Selfie community would love to hear what your goals are! Send us a note. Let us be there for you because we got you and we get you. If you need help finding your goal, let us know, we can help there too.
If you are looking to treat yourself and get that morning reminder you can get a coffee mug similar to the one above on Etsy. I’m sure you can find it on Amazon as well but I’m partial to Etsy when I can.
If you like our newsletters, please share them with friends and family so they can subscribe at www.fysfindyourselfie.com.
*Disclaimer. Find Your Selfie does not financially benefit in any way from any of the information or resources we share!*
The team at Find Your Selfie is leading the way on important topics such as self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-confidence, worthiness and so much more. Through our “Be You” campaign we are showcasing the importance of knowing who you are and to just be you. We hope you share this message with all of your email contacts, encourage them to join this movement by subscribing at www.fysfindyourselfie.com and follow our inspirational messaging on our social channels.
To learn more about Find Your Selfie visit and www.fysfindyourselfie.com.