Risks- Step out of the Comfort Zone

Risk- While it is a fun board game that can last about a million hours, it is also a word that can induce great anxiety and fear in people. When we take a risk, we are leaping out of our comfort zone and into an unknown territory for ourselves personally.  While that might be true for ourselves, there are others out there that have ventured into these waters and can help guide the way if we would only look and ask.


When we take a risk, or even consider it, most people allow themselves to focus on everything that might go wrong.  We can start to allow doubt and fear control our actions, instead of the passions and desires that brought us to that place.  When fears and doubts control our actions, many people give up too soon and head for safer waters, often times right before the spot where our passions and desires just to show us why we started on this journey. 


I had a boss that had worked in our department for over 14 years.  She knew the players and contacts inside and out and knew her job, her bosses job, and everyone underneath's job inside and out.  She knew what needed to be done everyday and how she could make sure that those goals were being met.  Until one day, she was asked to take a major leap out of her comfort zone, to handle and help spearhead a major project that will impact the whole organization.  Now, if she had allowed fear and doubt to control her, she could have politely declined with no real repercussions and maybe eventually gotten promoted to her boss' job.  Instead, she took the leap and said yes, and has learned a great deal that she didn't previously know and once the project is complete be in a position to do more than she ever thought possible before.


Another story is from a friend of mine, who used to be a bartender at a restaurant, when we first met.  She has moved around a bit and married and has 2 wonderful children.  She has her degree in nursing and was working like a dog trying to stay on top of bills and payments and life.  Her and her husband worked overtime, weekends, and holidays.  She took a leap one day on a networking marketing and kinda put minimal effort into it for a while, only trying it because she liked some of the products.  One day, she decided to put fear and doubt aside and worked the networking like it was a full time job.  4 years later, her and her husband have retired, paid off all their debts, moved back to Florida and paid cash for a great place on the water.  She took the risk and is living a life most dream of being able to have.


When we step out of our comfort zone, we move ourselves farther out in the world, and it always changes our viewpoint.  Now we can see more of the world than we previously knew, and we can achieve more.

Gratitude

We seem to have forgot how to be grateful for the things we have in this world. The blessings that are bestowed upon us and we forget to appreciate when people are kind or good to us, when they help us, or when they genuinely are there for us.  The other part of being grateful is doing good for others when you have the time, abilities, and resources. 


A grateful heart is an understanding heart.  In the Bible, the best example of this comes from Second Chronicles verses 8-12, as follows:
Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. ⁹ Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. ¹⁰ Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
¹¹ God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, ¹² therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”


Solomon is grateful to the Lord for all the blessings he had bestowed on his family.  Solomon could have asked for anything, but because he was grateful, he simply asked for knowledge and wisdom, or more simply put, an understanding heart.  Solomon wanted to be a blessing to his people and lead them well.  Solomon made mistakes but he was always grateful.


A modern example of this story is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who might be one of the most humble and grateful people in Hollywood.  If you have ever heard his story, you know he came from a humble beginning, even living in his car at one point.  He continued his journey and never gave up on becoming a success.  After everything that happened to him, he could have turned bitter and only cared about himself, but he never let fear and doubt change him.  He remained hopeful, understanding, kind and grateful to those who supported him.  He regularly does extraordinary things for people that are closet to him, shows great respect for the fans who support him, and remembers to always be grateful.


I truly believe the best that humanity has to offer is to remain grateful, no matter what happens. It grounds you, makes you appreciate everything, and allows you to be successful by helping lift others up.