Intro
Hello again! Joy here. I'm sitting at my desk here in PTY typing away at blog post #2. PTY is the airport code for Panama where I reside. We use the letters PTY when referring to Panama. Kinda like folks who say that they are from the ATL, I am in Panama City, the capital and largest city. I was born and raised not too far outside the city limits. An area that was called the Canal Zone. Some folks will still refer to it as the former Canal Zone, or Canal area. For others It is known as the área revertida or reverted area since the U.S. returned the area to Panama in Dec 1999.
Blog writing
Before starting this blog I researched how to start a blog. Has anyone ever googled that? Man! It's crazy the amount of answers that you get from that question. Overwhelming actually. After reading several answers I closed my laptop and walked away from the idea. It has taken quite a bit to come back to do this. This time I have decided NOT to read anyone else's advice and just write what I want. I'm not following any structure, or rules on blogging. So here we go!!!
Comfort Zone
I mentioned earlier that I am starting this blog to get out of my comfort zone. Well, what exactly is that? What is a comfort zone? I first heard that term when I started facilitating groups, especially when I was learning about team building. There are several methods to explain it. I prefer the street light for a universal mental picture. A quick synopsis Green = comfort zone, Yellow = growth zone, I add Orange = really scary, Red =Panic Zone. It's good to step out of green into yellow and orange, however we don't want to spend too much time in the red zone.
Our comfort zone is where we feel comfortable. It is a zone where we stay because we know what the outcome will be. Whether we like it or not it is easier to stay than it is to leave. To leave might require us to confront challenges that we do not know the outcome of, and that is scary. Fear keeps us in our comfort zone.
When we get into habits or rhythms in our life it becomes comfortable. Preschool is difficult at first because it is new. It is challenging us to step out of what we know. Then we get into the rhythm and it becomes normal, it becomes comfortable. We might not like it but we know it. Then you go to kindergarten and it's the same thing. At first it's scary, and you have to adjust and learn new stuff. Then after a while it becomes comfortable. There's a schedule and rhythm to how things in school flow and you know it. We continue to go through life like that.
Sometimes the challenge is greater. Like moving to a new town, city, school. Everytime we step out of our comfort zone our area of growth expands. We learn more, we know more. We gain confidence in ourselves, and are more willing to make those steps outside our comfort zone.
First Move
The first time I moved, that I remember, was when I was in the first grade. I moved from Balboa Elementary to Los Rios Elementary. I remember not liking 1st grade at Balboa Elem. I remember not liking my teacher, Mrs. Cotton I believe. I have specific memories of these little red books that we were learning to read from and I hated it.
So you would think that my first day at Los Rios would be exciting and joyful! That I would be happy for the change. I cried. I remember my mom walking me to the first grade classroom, knocking on the door, and the teacher appearing and inviting me in. I didn't go in. I held on to my mom and would not let go. Tears flowed down my face. I was forced into the classroom. Led to a seat and I sat there crying. I was out of my comfort zone. Pushed out of my comfort zone, really, and sometimes that happens. I acclimated to my new situation, and ended up liking my first grade teacher, Mrs Hannah, made friends with my classmates and wouldn't change anything about it now. I continued through 6th grade there.
How have you handled changes to your comfort zone? Do you accept new challenges? Do you look for new challenges?
I hope the blog entry and those questions lead you to think a bit. Thanks for staying to the end!
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