by Linda-Ann Stewart

Have you ever felt yourself being pulled in two different directions? Many years ago, I really wanted to move to Sedona. But when the time came to pack, I was reluctant to leave Houston, where I’d grown up. Even though I didn’t like my old home, it was a familiar place. I knew where things were, and what the environment was like. Sedona would be a complete change, from city to small town, from suburbs to the country. It was a change I desperately desired, but still it was scary.

Take a look at your life. Is it everything you want it to be? Are you as happy as you’d like? Do you have the prosperity you want, the relationships, the health? If you’re not experiencing all that you want in life, then you’re keeping yourself from it. Life wants to give you all the good you can hold. If you’re not constantly accepting more good in your life, you’ve settled into a rut. This is called a comfort zone. Everyone does this, in some way or other.

I’ve heard of prisoners who are freed, who have waited years to be released. But once they have their freedom, they can’t handle it. They’ve spent so many years having someone telling them when to eat, when to sleep, when to exercise, that they can’t function without anyone telling them what to do. Therefore, some former prisoners deliberately commit another crime simply to be caught and put back in prison. They have been forced out of their comfort zone, and want back in.

Most of us don’t have quite this extreme situation. But have you ever had an opportunity that you turned down out of fear? Some people will work hard to succeed, and just as it’s about to happen, they will sabotage it. They’ll forget a vital appointment, they’ll get sick, they’ll begin to drink, or insult the boss. Their comfort zone may not be comfortable, but it is familiar.

Copyright 2000, 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved