Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
~ Neal Walsch
There are different kinds of comfort zones. Some are healthy happy places to be, such as spiritual mindedness where one is feeling genuine love and peace. Others are stifling, limiting, and holding us back, such as holding positions of fear, doubt, hesitancy, and worry.
If you want to progress, it’s healthy to challenge your comfort zones and see if any need to be left behind.
For instance, if you pull back from taking on advanced work at the office for fear of failure, it could be time to challenge that comfort zone of conservatism that you keep pulling back into. There could be some grand achievements ahead of you with a little willingness to stretch a bit and accomplish more than you have in the past.
Or if you fail to make new friends for fear of being rejected. This type of fear is what I call an uncomfortable “comfort zone.” It’s always time to break out of those types of confining limiting perspectives. Fear is not enjoyable company.
Life is God, and Life is infinite. There is no end to the good you can accomplish, the success you can achieve and the noble goals you can fulfill. To advance, one must move ahead, and to move ahead, often means leaving comfort zones behind that felt fine in the past, but no longer serve a progressive purpose.
Stretching in my aerobic dance class is still a challenge after a number of years. It may be a stepping stone to the kind of stretching you’re talking about here. .
Good thoughts to start the day with – thanks Evan. Your insights always appreciated.
I have always felt it was the purpose of Christianity to turn on the lights in my darkened room so I could face my issues and emerge into that light..
Mrs. Eddy describes this event very powerfully in her address to The Mother Church in 1901 when she said: “ … Christianity is ever storming sin in its citadels, blessing the poor in spirit and keeping peace with God”. Mess. 1901 p.2:18.
It isn’t pleasant but it is essential to the journey..onward and upward..
I guess an increase or unfoldment of our capabilities is a representation of us as the ever expanding spiritual ideas of God . How lovely to know that even when an idea appears difficult we can rely on God being ever present, guiding and supporting us.
Many years ago, when my sons were in their teens, the most popular logo emblazoned on clothes was “No Fear” …we could all do with one of those T-shirt’s now!
Thank you Evan for continually bringing focus for us to work spiritually with every day, If your past vlogs were on tape they would be worn through by now in this house….blessings to everyone❣️
Thanks to all, esp Mrs. Eddy’s address from 1901. Speaks to my needs to go forward. Every day brings challenges. There’s always the correct answer. This mornings offering is a fine start to today’s.
Hi Evan thanks for this. It fits in beautifully with today’s ” Daily Lift” of listening to your ” GUT” – God Uttering Truth”…..We will be lead to identify and ” Move on” from our comfort zones when we listen to God. Boy, we are all soooo blessed. Thanks guys for sharing.
Thank you Evan, I would like new companionship but it can be hard and to human sense I don’t have sufficient time to commit to it with working more than full-time at a nursing care facility and caring Halftime for a son and maintaining a home on my own. Not to mention the hard ache of having to break things off when you find out you’re not a good match.… Definitely sounds like fear doesn’t it?
Dear Growing,
You are serving others in the roles you have mentioned and these loving gestures will be rewarded in ways you may not realize, as love reflects Love.
“Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need” may be a helpful thought to hold to.
Hi Growing,
It doesn’t sound like fear to me at all. It sounds like you are making a choice that your work and your son take the priority over relationships. If you decide you want to reduce your hours there are some fun ideas to explore. One is job sharing.
On maintaining a home, you could get a maid to come in and clean and a landscaper to help with the yard to free up more time. Or, install drip irrigation in your yard with a timer. Easy to set up and since it is all automatic, you have time to spend with your son – or you could set it up with your son teaching him how or seek out a neighbor that would love to help you or someone at a local hardware store that could show you how to do it (which could lead to a relationship) or a Youtube video or… The possibilities are endless. The hard part is deciding what you want to do because there are so many choices. 🙂
Progress is the only choice.
Thank you for your helpful direction each day, Evan & readers.
Bless you all!
Thank you, Evan and fellow comfort zone-go beyonds. I used to be rather shy, especially with sharing thoughts of the spiritual kind. It seemed so different from the ‘way of the world’ and I although I tried to be an example of CS teachings, I would be reluctant to reach out to others I thought might think I was some sort of a “nut”….. “What do you Mean, matter isn’t real?? The five senses show me it is”.
Little by little I am learning that so many today are seeking answers that CS provides and even though it is still difficult to come right out with sharing these ideas, the world is in such need of healing that these Truths provide, it becomes easier to grow myself, by sharing what I have learned, to anyone who is open minded.
I agree with Barbara…if these vlogs/blogs were on tape they would be worn out at my house. Thank you Evan for all you do for the world.
Shepherd, show me how to go
O’er the hillside steep,
How to gather, how to sow, –
How to feed Thy sheep;
I will listen for Thy voice,
Lest my footstep stray;
I will follow and rejoice
All the rugged way.
Thou wilt bind the stubborn will,
Wound the callous breast,
Make self-righteousness be still,
Break earth’s stupid rest.
Strangers on a barren shore,
Lab’ring long and lone,
We would enter by the door,
And Thou know’st Thine own;
So, when day grows dark and cold,
Tear or triumph harms,
Lead Thy lambkins to the fold,
Take them in Thine arms;
Feed the hungry, heal the heart,
Till the morning’s beam;
White as wool, ere they depart,
Shepherd, wash them clean.
(MBE, hymn 304+)
I love all the comments. They are so on-target for various facets of today’s message, which is such a good one. As I recall, I read something by a reporter for The Christian Science Monitor that said at least once a year we should read a book that makes us uncomfortable by challenging our personal views. And to sometimes read a magazine or listen to a broadcast that did the same thing. Today we could update broadcast to include other forms, but if we take “broadcast” at the widest definition, it still applies.
Thank you Evan ! God loves us so much that he propels us forward!!!
Thank you Evan. Your words remind me of the parable of the talents which is in Section 3 of this week’s Bible Lesson. You should not hide your “talents,” but use them in service to God and reap the benefits. Even if it means leaving your comfort zone!
Love this challenge Evan!
“For instance, if you pull back from taking on advanced work at the office for fear of failure…” It isn’t self-willing it and forcing oneself but a sincere desire to want to help and learn and grow in my experience. An expression of Love that advances us forward and regardless of people saying “it can’t be done” the barriers just fall away. I have demonstrated this many times and it is just a wonderful experience. It feels like Love is right there with you showing you the way! And, it isn’t just at work. It can be applied on many fronts. Lovely Spiritview! :):)
This idea is very timely for my life. For a week, I had to leave home. So my daughter is taking care of everything, even the dogs, alone. Far away I avoid worrying and I don’t want to ask my mother for help to accompany her, because my daughter, already an adult, needs to be autonomous. I am leaving my comfort zone, avoiding not asking anyone for help.
Oh Evan, am I grateful.for.xour eye opening SpiritView of today. I am happy I had the opportunity to move ahead today and leave the comfort Zone behind me which wouldn’t mean progress.
I was writing a long and seemingly difficult record for a good friend. We dicussed the contence. And as she wrote it by.hand for me – she has no computer to write it in an orderly shape – I typed it into my computer. .it took us about 4 hours until it was correct and nicely accomplished. That was a wonderful day doing good and expressing Love to my friend. I thank God for this wonderful opportunity to express God in various aspects, also in joy. They are limitless as with God all things are possible whatever the need is.