Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and God Shows Up

“It’s hard to put our hearts out there in this loud, broken world.”

It's amazing how we can moan and groan about a choice we know must be made. Deep down, we know. But just because we know the right thing to do, and the best way to move forward, doesn't mean the choice is easy. Many times, the "correct" choice, the best choice, is the hardest - at least at first. I promise you, the hardest part is taking the leap. Are you there? At the edge, wondering and shaking? Wondering if there is another way. Yes, there are challenges after you leap, but none are quite as exhilarating and terrifying as the initial jump.

I walked into my first recovery meeting.
I made an appointment with a divorce attorney.
I told my boss I would be leaving after 14 years to be a stay at home mom.
I looked up therapists online.
I signed up for a writing class.
I told him "I love you."
I told him "I hate you."
I told someone "I'm sorry."

These are all things I've done that have made my stomach curl back in retaliation. My ego screams at me, "No! This feels bad! This feels uncomfortable. And I want to feel comfortable. I want to feel warm, cozy and comfortable, always." Risk and fear look different for all of us. Maybe your greatest fear is someone else's comfort zone. Maybe some fears are Universal, and shared among all of us, like loneliness, abandonment, and rejection. Maybe we all have a fear of ourself and what we're actually capable of.

Maybe that's why difficult decisions, even in our best interest, are so hard to make. It's hard to stand up for ourself. It's hard to ask for help. It's hard to say what we need. It's hard to put our hearts out there in this loud, broken world. Putting your heart out into the world means being who you are - if you are an artist, and your parents always wanted you to be a doctor, I'm sorry, it's like expecting a dog to be a tree. You are here for a reason, and the reason is YOU.

Generally speaking, I have believed in God my entire life. At least, I wanted to know who or what God was. For you, God may be tied to a religion. Or maybe you call God your Higher Power. God is also called Love, Brahman, and collective consciousness. I like to refer to God as grace. I've experienced grace every time I've made a difficult leap into the unknown, and every time I've moved outside my comfort zone. I think the comfort zone is there to show us there is a God of some kind, some divine guidance and power from the Universe. How are we to experience grace and faith unless we trust in something outside ourselves? 

There has been grace: Every time I've fallen down and had to begrudgingly and painfully pick myself up. Every time I've feared that I was making he wrong choice or that everything was all my fault. Every time I've heard people laughing at me as I walked away. 

Grace is when you're at the bottom and you're not sure how to get out. You know the next right move, you only need to muster the strength to put one foot in front of the other. And somehow, because of grace, you do. I've never felt God's love as much as I have in my darkest times. That's how I know God and love exist. Had it not been for those times, my faith in a higher power, my faith in myself, and my faith in our humanity, would not be nearly as steadfast.

If you are out of your comfort zone, place a hand on your heart and pay attention. There is goodness, greatness, and even amazement heading your way.