Do I really have nothing to say?

Six or so years ago I started a blog thinking that people might be interested in my journey. It was an interesting one. Not a lot of people actually leave their comfort zone, sell everything they own, buy a sailboat and live aimlessly traveling the eastern seaboard for 4 years.

After a few blogs I realized that I may not be so terribly interesting after all. My thought was that a blog was supposed to be for other people to enjoy. I stopped my introspections thinking I didn’t need them if no one else cared. I think after this long hiatus that my thought process was wrong. A blog is really supposed to be for me. If other people enjoy or relate to it that is all the better. So I am going to forge ahead with musings that strike my fancy. I hope, every so often, you enjoy my pondering things you couldn’t care less about.

Do you really need to be challenged?

 I have been thinking a lot about the journey that I am on.  For me (right now) it has been a lot about challenge.   I have been outside of my comfort zone for the past few months and it doesn’t necessarily get easier the more you stay outside that zone.  What is wrong with doing something you know and doing it well?  What is wrong with staying in the stress free “I know what I am doing” zone.  I read that challenging yourself is a foolproof method of personal improvement, but,  what if I am good enough already.  Cave men were challenged on a daily basis and they didn’t live any longer for the effort.  Maybe their brains were better off, but what was the gain.  I am not saying that a good challenge isn’t something that we should totally avoid, but maybe something benign like more Sudoku or Crossword puzzles is the answer.  I decided to do a little research on why I should continue this quest of being challenged more frequently than ever before in my life.  Here is what I discovered.

I first needed to understand exactly what a challenge is?  A challenge is something needing great mental or physical effort to complete.  Okay that seems logical enough.  For me just getting out of bed these days fits the challenge bill!  Need I do more?  But seriously, a challenge is something that puts you to the test — like running your first marathon or reading War and Peace. A challenge can be something as small as learning how to knit or it could be something as life altering as facing Cancer.  Challenge, as a verb, is derived from a Latin word meaning “to accuse falsely,” and it is still used much as it was in the 13th century, in the sense of questioning whether something is true or right.  Motivational speaker Brendon Burchard tells us:  “Challenge is the pathway to engagement and progress in our lives. But not all challenges are created equal. Some challenges make us feel alive, engaged, connected, and fulfilled. Others simply overwhelm us. Knowing the difference as you set bigger and bolder challenges for yourself is critical to your sanity, success, and satisfaction.”

Challenges can help you grow, learn and explore.  By changing the way you look at a challenge, you can significantly impact the effect it has on you.  I have started to look at a challenge as a game or an opportunity.  Let’s take docking a 15 ton, 45 foot sailboat in a swift current and strong wind.  The challenge for me is to not freak out.  Assume everything will be fine until it isn’t.  I can’t avoid this challenge so accepting and attacking it head on has been the only way to handle it.  More important is knowing how to react to a challenge.  I simply prepare as best I can and let the event happen.  A challenge can be a good and/or a “bad” thing depending on how you look at it.  If the challenge excites you, take advantage of that excitement and go for it.  If it scares the heck out of you roll with it.  Break it down and Breath.

Here is my new found wisdom when faced with a challenge:

Face it:  Don’t avoid the challenge! Accept it is happening and attack it head on. This is much more effective than avoiding it.  Avoiding it will only prolong your anxiety and possibly make it worse.

Small bits make better bites:  Prepare  for the challenge and look for ways to attack small pieces of it at a time.

You are never alone:  It’s OK to ask for help! Lots of people out there have possibly faced a similar challenge.  Ask how other people have handled it.

Think:  Take a moment to breath.  Reflect on all the challenges you’ve overcome in your life already.  Is this one really any larger or smaller than some of the others you have faced.  Are any of them similar? How did you handle other challenges? Remember you can do it! Be patient with yourself and give yourself the time you need to determine the best way to handle whatever comes at you.

Challenges can only be overcome by taking action, so get rid of the excuses and take control of your situation.

Do You challenge yourself enough?  Playing it safe?  No challenge no success!

Think Bigger!

Photo from: http://blog.gravity-lifestyle.com/take-up-a-challenge/