If it feels comfortable, you are not stretching, growing, risking or reaching.  You cannot test yourself within the bounds of comfortable.  And each new task, action or behavior you attempt requires the willingness to feel uncomfortable.

Today is the final day in Chicago on the last production job of my twenty year career in Hollywood.  It is both exciting and uncomfortable.  Though the past three weeks have been filled with incredible challenges, both logistically and working with a number of people who have a much different mindset, it was comfortable.  I know the production drill.  My team, headed by my producer and my unit production manager, had an extraordinary number of years of experience we brought to the table, which allowed us to work through pretty much everything that came our way.  My production job is not rocket science and it is comfortable for me.

It is easy to find comfort in things that don’t necessarily feed us or aren’t necessarily seen as something one would choose.  There is comfort in old patterns, even if they don’t produce the results we desire.  Comfort food is a great example.   Most of these items are not nutritionally good for us and involve a significant number of calories.  They may taste good but if someone’s goal is to reduce their weight, returning to the comfort of comfort food will not support that outcome.

It can be scary to let go of old patterns and we often wonder what will replace how we bring that feeling of comfort into our lives.  Eventually, you create new patterns that do feed you and support you in achieving your goals. You begin to find comfort in your ability to take risks, face change and work through your fears.  There is a feeling of forward motion involved in this versus the sinking into old patterns which lowers your energy once the initial desire for comfort is satiated.

The reality is, to fully live the life I have been designing for myself for the past several years at my highest potential, I have to be willing to feel uncomfortable.  I have to be okay with facing any fears I have about making such a significant career change at this point in my life.  What I know for certain is to continue in production means I will get more of the same in my life.  It’s not bad or wrong, but it doesn’t give me the opportunity to be of service to others to the degree coaching allows.  It doesn’t provide the space for me to share my gift and live my mission of helping others lead extraordinary lives.

I can feel uncomfortable creeping in as I look forward to the coming months of having a single minded focus which is my coaching.  I remind myself “if not now, when?”  I recognize that to bring the life I am designing off the vision board and into the here and now reality, I have to embrace it fully.  There is no Plan B.  It is natural to feel fear when you finally step out to live your dreams.

Fear’s job is to keep us safe…but safe is comfortable and comfortable does not ignite inspiration, passion or desire.  You choose.

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