expanding your horizons.

Have you ever wanted to try something new but never got the courage to actually do it? Like taking a new class at the gym, trying out a new running route, traveling somewhere new, trying out a different church or religion, going skydiving, going out to dinner alone, giving a presentation at work about a new idea, eating a new cuisine, auditioning for a talent show, or submitting a piece to your local newspaper?

Every day we are given opportunities to break free of our comfort zone to do something different. We too often chicken out. We can't stand the idea of failure or embarrassment. In turn, those thoughts encourage us to live only within the familiar, rather than taking a risk. And it's only human to feel that way.

Let's step back for a moment and consider times we have been more or less forced to partake in something new. The first day at a job. The start of a semester at school. Moving to a new living situation. A trip to visit family in a location previously unvisited. An essential business trip to visit a client across the country.

For these types of adventures, we aren't really given a choice. We may feel uneasy, ill, shaky, flustered, or scared, but typically once we've actually jumped into it, that fearful feeling will subside. We adjust and become comfortable to a certain extent. Other times, we never quite reach that point. We fulfill expectations and then may choose to take another path instead. That new path may mean retreating back to the familiar, or it may require being back at square one; standing face to face with a different something new. We embrace routine so much as a society, that we give anything to get back to "normalcy" as quickly as possible once we've been forced [or fallen] off track.

I bring these forced efforts to step outside of our comfort zone to the forefront because these are things we've all had to do in our lives. We've had to make major transitions, whether between schools, jobs, relationships, or lifestyles. And guess what? We all made it to the other side. As previously mentioned, the process may have felt uneasy and downright scary at the time, but we did it. But, why is it that once we're given the individual choice to try something new do we hesitate so much? If we know it will all be okay in the end, what continues to stop us dead in our tracks?

Fear.

It's something we should strive to conquer.

Beyond anything else, we need to remember one thing. Every single one of us was the newbie, the rookie, and the beginner once. Each one of those people you see doing something you may be a little scared to try, was in your shoes once. They walked into something on day one with that same feeling of fear and discomfort. They too didn't do things perfectly the first time around. They too experienced a period of "unroutine," and lived outside of their comfort zone. But look at those people now- comfortable at the once new job, in the once new workout class, in the once new neighborhood, with the once new coworkers, in the once new classes, in the once new relationship, and in any other once new experience. Now those once new things are familiar and mundane. Even if these once new things don't permanently become established in our lives, they serve as great learning experiences and provide potential for individual growth.

Stop limiting yourself to things that are familiar and routine. You are losing too many opportunities to find a new hobby, establish a new relationship, land a new job, push yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually, and otherwise find new passions. Life is too short not to seek fortunes outside of your comfort zone. You won't know what you're missing out on until you try. Go try.

time away.

Why is it that distance makes the heart grow fonder? Why does it take having a void where something once was to recognize the importance of what filled it before? Why do we struggle to appreciate people while they are actually present?

On Tuesday, I returned from spending 6 days in Virginia; away from my job, my home, and my relationships. It was an opportunity to be near my mother, a new exciting location, and the freedom from my usual responsibilities. I very much enjoyed my time away, but I was ready to board my flight home when the time came. Was I ready because I wanted to go back to working 50+ hours a week? Was I ready because I wanted to get back to cleaning my house, doing laundry, and my other usual household tasks? Was I ready to get back to my jam packed schedule? Could it be that I was actually missing my typical and crazy daily routine? Actually...it was.

When it all comes down to it, it was the most basic of things I was ready to get back to. My usual diet. My running routine. My great big comfy bed. My kitchen. My bedtime. My significant relationships. The craziest part about having temporary space is recognizing that it's the simple things that tend to fill us up.

Time away teaches us to (re)appreciate our daily routine. When we are stuck in my same old rhythm for days on end, we grow bored and annoyed with the trials and tribulations of everyday life. But when our routine is broken, it is then we become acquainted with what's really valuable to us. We have that sense of "missing" and "void."

Don't let it take time away to appreciate the life you have. Don't require separation to realize what wonderful relationships and friendships you hold. We are all guilty of falling into routines and habits that blind us to how good we have it. Make it a habit to ponder what life would be like without all the things that fill our lives today. Force yourself to express gratitude towards both the good and the bad in life. The good is what makes our lives rewarding. The bad is what makes us stronger. And it's the people that stick by us through both that are what make our lives meaningful. Say thank you, appreciate the little things, and go through your day with the knowledge that it doesn't have to take time away to recognize how blessed we truly are.

this is a no-wake zone.

This no-wake zone is not about making waves in a lake. I'm talking about some good old fashioned shut eye. Sleep is not overrated- and you shouldn't be living your life by the "I'll sleep when I'm dead" mantra. In order to maintain your physical and cognitive health, you have to give your body the rest it needs on a routine basis. This includes more than just making sure you're spending enough time with your favorite pillow. Having a balanced nutrition plan, giving yourself the proper amounts of muscle and brain stimuli, indulging in relaxation, keeping your stress under control, exercising often, and staying hydrated are also part of the formula for success. Believe it or not, there is an art to both counting sheep and to falling asleep.

• Light; Or should I say Darkness. Even just the smallest amount of light in your bedroom can stimulate your senses enough to keep you awake. Clocks are often the biggest culprit- most tickers allow you to adjust the brightness. If you can, try sleeping without the time showing in your bedroom at all. If you are struggling to fall asleep or fall back to sleep, watching the minutes tick by can cause anxiety which will end up keeping you awake even longer.
• Establishing a Routine; Making a bedtime for yourself may sound a little "middle-school," but it's just as important in your 20's, 30's, and beyond as it is prior. If you aim to go to bed within the same half hour every night, your body will begin to adjust, and even prepare, for shut eye. You'll begin to feel tired around the same hour every evening, which will make falling- and staying- asleep even easier. 
• Stress Less; Often times when we crawl into bed, our brains are busy remembering all the things we forgot to do that day or processing what we have to do tomorrow. Sometimes this pushes us as far as getting out to bed to complete a small task; which will only interrupt the winding down process. Instead, try keeping a journal or piece of scrap paper next to your bed. If you think of things while you're drifting off to sleep, jot them down rather than running your brain ragged trying to remember them all the following morning. The faster you can shut your brain down, the faster you can slip into a deep slumber. 
• Power Down; Televisions, computers, cell phones and other electronics put off information, sound, and light stimuli that can keep your brain awake. Yet some people can only fall asleep to the sound of the television or radio. Studies show that turning electronics off an hour before bed helps prepare you better for sleep than keeping them on. Each person is going to react differently, so it's all about finding what is best for you. 
• Puppy Love; Of course we all love our pets, but establishing a bedtime routine for them is just as important as creating one for yourself. Pets can keep you up at night with their noises, running around, and playfulness. This may mean not allowing them in your bedroom at night, or putting them in their crate. Remember, to best care for others you have to care for yourself first. 
• Night Terrors; Always wake up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Find yourself dealing with stomach aches at 3am? Feeling restless? Snoring? Experiencing hot flashes? If you start to notice a change for the worst in your sleeping routine, there is probably a very specific reason for it. Sometimes a trip to a sleep specialist or doctor is going to be the key to solving the problem. Other times you can self-diagnose by considering your recent habits; if you are eating too much before bed, it may be the cause of tummy aches which could be solved by vowing to not eat after 8pm. If you find yourself running for the bathroom, maybe you are drinking too much before bedtime. If you are laying in bed wide awake, consider switching your workout routine to earlier in the day or avoiding caffeine in the afternoon. Waking up in a cold sweat may be a result of dehydration or improper bedroom temperatures, so making some minor adjustments on the thermostat could be an easy cure.

The amount of sleep, type of sleep, where you sleep, when you sleep, how you sleep, and who you sleep with (wink!) are all based on your individual needs. The important part is that you are logging enough ZZZ's to keep yourself happy, healthy, and functional. When in doubt, visit a sleep specialist that can help you create your ideal environment for shut eye. 

Remember these?

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are!  Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky! When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing shines upon, When you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. Then the traveller in the dark, Thanks you for your tiny spark, He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so. In the dark blue sky you keep, And often through my curtains peep, For you never shut your eye, Till the sun is in the sky. As your bright and tiny spark, Lights the traveller in the dark, Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star."

"Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top. When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And down will come baby, cradle and all."

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word. Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird won't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring turns brass, Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass. And if that looking glass gets broke, Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat. And if that billy goat won't pull, Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull. And if that cart and bull turn over, Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover. And if that dog named Rover won't bark, Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart. And if that horse and cart fall down, You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town."

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