"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. So if you are feeling uncomfortable right now, know that the change taking place in your life is a beginning, not an ending"--Neale Donald Walsch
This past year stepping out of my comfort zone has become a regular occurrence. Each time has begun with fear and nerves but then as I realize I can do whatever challenge it is I gain just a little more self-confidence. Yesterday was one of those challenges. A couple months ago, Kyle told me he wanted me to hold a seminar to talk with others about how I eat and what I have done to get the weight off. In fact he made that one of my goals for the month of November. The first thing that ran through my mind was pure fear--public speaking is WAY outside my comfort zone. I write much better than I speak, but I hesitantly agreed to give it a shot on one condition---he be there too. I wanted to wait until after the holidays when more people are focused on goals for the new year. And perhaps a little of wanting to wait was me not having to face the fear right away. I could put it out of my mind for a while and postpone the nerves and fear. So we set Saturday, January 19 for me to hold a "Sparkle Seminar".
As this past week progressed I started getting more nervous. The fear and insecurity was getting stronger. I was surprised anyone would want to come because I've never felt like I ever had anything worthy of sharing with others. Why would anyone want to spend their Saturday morning listening to me? But then when I think about it, a lot of people have been asking me how I've been able to lose over 100 pounds, so why do I doubt that I have anything to offer? That's why I write this blog, to record my journey and hopefully to inspire others to start their own journey. It's important to me to help others reach their goals. I want other people to find that inner confidence and strength that I am discovering. I just need to stop automatically discrediting myself and believe in myself more.
I admit I was amazed at how many people came for the seminar and as more showed up the more anxious I got. Kyle was there for moral support as promised and to step in if needed but shortly after I got started though, it felt natural. I was just up there talking with a group of women who like me struggle with their weight, their self-confidence and insecurities, and just need support and encouragement to take the next step. We ended up talking for 2 hours and by the end there were a lot of ideas shared, questions answered and honestly new connections made. Quite a few want to meet monthly to just talk and share what we've learned over the past 30 days. I had started a facebook group about a week ago called "Sharing Our Sparkle" to create an online community to do the same thing--share our journeys. To think that my Sparkle Seminar created an environment where others feel comfortable enough to want to keep meeting means the world to me. I have talked about how much my support team has helped me on my journey and now to share the sparkle and create support teams for others feels awesome.
I feel like I am finally becoming passionate about life and it's because of all the times in the past year where I have stepped outside my comfort zone and tried the unfamiliar, the uncomfortable and the terrifying. It's true, life does begin at the end of your comfort zone. My first Sparkle Seminar was a success and I can see myself doing more things like that. This dream is starting to form in my mind that I want to become a trainer someday. I want to inspire others to get out of their comfort zones and find the happiness and strength that I have found.
