This story is a part of a series called Do It And Then You’re Doing It, in which we attempt to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and take your life to the next level.
Fear and self-preservation are two very different things. Self-preservation asks you to wear a seatbelt in the car and a helmet when you ride your bike. Fear prevents you from doing something for one simple reason: you cannot control the outcome.
As kids, many of us ran around fearlessly. We climbed trees and ran fast and wrestled and screamed and wore superman suits to the grocery store. Then, as we got older and our brains developed, we stopped having imaginations and taking risks. Some call it “settling down,” or “needing routine,” or “growing up.” But it’s actually called “boring,” and “limiting,” and we deserve better.
Stepping outside of our comfort zone is essential to our growth. It asks us to really listen to all those voices in our heads and determine which ones are real and which ones are just Monsieur Fear trying to talk us out of becoming awesome.
If we aren’t careful, though, even our sacred yoga mats can become a breeding ground for complacency. We stick an arm balance and confuse that for enlightenment. On the outside, we look like we’ve got our life on lock, but internally; we’re consumed with fear, ego and lies.
So I’m shaking it up. I have been elected to boldly (read: scared shitlessly) explore the activities that I would normally avoid simply to stay swaddled in the comfort of routine. My hope is that by facing my fears and pushing my limits, I will inspire you to do the same. My great friend, Giuliana Hazelwood, coined the phrase Do It And Then You’re Doing It. So, to start, at Wanderlust O’ahu, I’m going to be taking a surfing lesson (please god no), learning the ukelele (cover your ears, world) and much more.
If you have any great stories about a time when you stepped past the border of your comfort zone, we want to hear about it.
Tatum Fjerstad is our Content and Communication Manager. Born and raised in Minneapolis, this writer/yoga teacher/cat lady is determined to make you laugh as you bravely step out of your comfort zones.