Sorry for not writing any blogs anytime sooner, I just couldn’t get myself to do it! But here I am with a new blog. This time it’s about stepping out of your comfort zone.
The past few years I have had to learn how to deal with the lesser amount of energy that I have. That means you essentially search for what your comfortable energy-level is. This means a lot of trial and error, stepping out of your comfort zone and experience if that is what’s good for you. If not, you take a step back. If it feels good for you, you have a new experience that you know you can handle.
A month ago I saw a post on Facebook from my brother in law’s fiancée asking for someone to come to their house and watch their dog and cats when they were gone for a week in Rome. I was intrigued immediately. But in my head this battle started with my thoughts. “What if you can’t do it? What if this is too much?” My doubt made place for excitement. But what if I can?
When I was little and growing up I was always told what I could not do. It’s my initial response to something. To be like, well, I can’t do that, because XYZ. But the last years I experiences that there are A LOT of things that I CAN do. So instead of doubting myself, I now ask myself this question back: but what if I can?
I let my BIL’s fiancée know I would really love to watch her pets. We talked about what, how, when. She sent me this extremely clear instructions over Google Docs. We talked about what I would get for it, agreed on an amount, made sure I knew everything and I was ready to go. A week before leaving, my doubts started to act up. What if a cat escapes (they’re indoor cats)? What if I drop the dogs leash while walking and she runs away? What if… You name it.
I told myself over and over that I would be fine. But to have been told all your life what you can’t do – it makes it very hard to believe in yourself. I didn’t back down! I went to their house, we talked everything over and off they went. The first day I was doubting myself, it was terrible. I had to get used to being in their house and around pets – I am not used to them. But as the days gone by, it was easier and easier for me to do! I played with the dog, walked her, fed the cats and her. A friend came by one day and we went shopping. It felt good and comfortable.
Getting used to a new house / place always takes me some time. I was very tired the first day because I had to get used to everything. They had different places for everything in their house. I wasn’t used to putting everything away because of the young dog. Got some things that now have bite marks.. But oh well, it happens to anybody who isn’t used to pets! My feeling of orientation was also a big deal. I had to walk the dog but I didn’t know the city. I let my husband help me the day he was still there, to get to know a route to walk, and the next day a friend and I walked the dog together. I stayed on that routes the whole week, worried I’d get lost with the dog. But I managed to do it and that’s the whole point! I did walk her and found some new routes on the way. I also found a way to be able to use the poop bags for her, while I let her sit down and clean after her. My motoric skills aren’t that good, but I managed to do it all!
This experience was really about going out of my comfort zone to help others. I would really recommend it, because you never know what you are capable of, until you try.
This is just an example of doubts about myself and my ability that I have every day/week. It’s hard when you have this big list of things you can’t do, but it’s also so much fun to discover that there are still other things you CAN do. Make sure to ask yourself the question: but what if I CAN do it?
Have a great week all!
Alissa