Breaking out of the comfort zone

Over the last few years I've been trying to make myself do things that I need or want but have avoided because its difficult. I get stuck in a comfort zone and, well, get comfortable.  This applies to almost every aspect of my life, from work to family to personal.  Occasionally I realize I'm stagnant and I have to push myself to do something I find difficult.  

This is the reason I joined Aikido. It was difficult for me to let people touch me in an overpowering way. And vice versa, I had to put my hands on others to learn the techniques. It was difficult for some time and I never considered that I would be anything but a white belt (beginner) forever.  But I got better. I got my yellow belt.  I got comfortable. I pushed myself to join Crossfit. Crossfit is known to be a pretty hardcore exercise plan. And it is still a little embarrassing to be scaling back the workout so I can do them.  But being embarrassed by it doesn't mean that I'm uncomfortable with the scale down.  I can walk through the door at the gym and know that I can do the workout because I can scale it to my comfort level.  Comfortable.  I learned to cook. In still not a great cook, but my family eats what I make and I can come home and know that I can whip up a meal somehow, if I've forgotten to set up the crockpot, which happens more than I care to admit. Comfortable. 

I'm comfortable again. I need to set some goals, step out of my zone, and grow again. 

So this week I'll be signing up for some more reclamation/environmental/permitting type classes. And I'll set myself a goal for reaching green belt. And I'll plan to look ahead on Crossfit workouts and set a daily goal to do better.  I'm not changing at the moment. I could be learning and growing. It's time to step out of that zone again. 

Hangover Handicap 2014

This is a post I wrote on the 2nd and somehow never posted:

I talked the boys into doing the Hangover Handicap with me this year. It wasn’t too hard to talk them into it. I asked if they wanted to do it with me and they both said yes. No arm twisting required. Although it was a slightly different story when I had to roust the teenager out of bed in the morning, after he had stayed up to ring in the new year. At least he isn’t old enough to be hungover, just a sleepy teen.

It was about 10 degrees warmer this year than it was last year when I did it. We started at 30 degrees, but it warmed up to 36 or so by the end of the race. I wore a long sleeve tshirt and a sweatshirt and by the end was sweaty and hot. So it was plenty. Z wore a sweatshirt with a down vest over it. Then he wore the race t-shirt over all of that. He resembled a blue stay puff marshmallow man. Nate opted to not get the t-shirt. It saved me $10 to skip buying a shirt he said he won’t ever wear.  I got one for myself though. I’m collecting race shirts now. :)

Nathan was happy to walk by my side the whole time. We chatted and laughed and enjoyed each others company. He is a kid who is less active than he should be. He enjoys running and playing rough and being active when he is encouraged to, but he isn’t likely to jump up and choose it. He seemed to enjoy the walk and he told me he had fun. He is definitely looking forward to the other races that we are planning this year. They both ran ahead when we got to the Vitacourse by the lake. It’s a series of obstacles and instructions that have been placed there, I assume, by the city or some exercise group. They did each one and caught up with me as I kept walking. Other than that, he stuck with me.

Xander is a very active child. He doesn’t sit still for very long at all. He really wanted to run the whole race. So I encouraged him to run to X (the sign, a tree, the bench, etc). He would run to the point and either run back to us, or wait for us to catch up, then take off for the next point. He brought his yo-yo with him and the last mile he walked and played with the yo-yo. He’d drag behind a little, then run to catch up. He was a little bored waiting for us and told me to "keep going to the gym" so that we can run the next race. I doubt I’ll be running races by the next one that we are already signed up for, but I’ll be faster than today. I might ask a runner friend to go with him. He asked me to sign him up for some track races that are competitions. He did the America’s Kid Fun Run in 2009 (he was tiny) and still remembers that and has that in mind for a challenge. That was Jr Bloomsday, and I’m not sure they do it anymore. I told him he does Bloomsday now so he doesn’t need to do that one. But he walks Bloomsday with me so I guess it doesn’t count. :)

We finished 8 minutes faster than last years time. I was impressed. When I started the race I was already sore from an intense squat workout the day before.  I didn’t stride as long as I might have so I thought I’d be just as slow as last year. It was a great feeling to push the stop button on the timer and see progress.

I ended up with some knarly blisters. One is the size of a quarter and I didn’t even know I was getting it! It showed up later in the day. Another is on the ball of my foot. I felt the friction on that spot for the last 2 miles. I think it’s almost time for some new shoes. Today I’m wearing super cushy socks that I got for Christmas. It helps!

Happy new year! On to the next adventure!

Nataasjia

In 1991 I was 16 years old and signed up for Student Exchange. I was too chicken to choose a country that spoke a language that wasn’t English. So I chose Australia as my first country of choice. I picked New Zealand as my second choice and in a bold move I chose Brazil third - knowing it wasn’t an English speaking country, it was exotic and my third choice so I probably wouldn’t end up there. Thankfully, my application was chosen by a family in Australia. They had a daughter, Shari, who was a year younger than me and was planning to come to America on exchange the next year. And a daughter, Marina, who was in Second Grade.

So in January 1991 I packed my bags and joined a big group of students all exchanging in Australia. Out of maybe 20 kids, I was the only one going to Cairns. I was on my own after we got to the country together and split off into groups.  Several stayed in Sydney, some went to Adelaide, a few went to Melbourne, and I think a small number went to Perth. So as a young, naive, scared to death, 16 year old I hopped on my plane to Cairns. I was greeted at the small airport by Lorna, my new Aussie Mum, and an 8 year old Marina.

The next half a year was a whirlwind of adventure and love. I found a family in Australia that was perfect for me. I was as much a part of the family as any of the girls who lived there (and there were lots!  There were 3 nieces there as well from 5 years old to 11, and we picked up another exchange student as well, Lily from Japan). My Aussie dad, Wally, was the classic Aussie man who reminded me a little of Crocodile Dundee. The program I was on was only 6 months. I turned 17 there and a few short months later I was on my way home.

It’s been 23 years since I was there. My Aussie parents have been to visit several times. (We, tragically, lost Wally a few years ago. I’m so glad he was able to come here and meet my family and to get to know him as an adult and not a shy 16 year old girl.) Mum has come a couple times on her own. And Marina has come to visit with her new husband. I’m still waiting to see Shari again, but it’s great to have reconnected. In 2014, Shari’s daughter, Taasjia, will be here to stay for the year. This Australian adventure is continuing!   My Aussie sister’s daughter arrives tonight.  It’s almost full circle now.