Leaving Kansas (ponder this one, it's good)

Debbiejean
on 6/21/12 10:38 am - Shelbyville, MI

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 03:17 AM PDT

I was investigating the site I referenced yesterday (no link this time -- too much foul language for many of you) and the author used the idea of Leaving Kansas as a way to think about our comfort zones.

I love the thought! (and how many times have I actually said "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!" when I've ended up someplace strange and uncomfortable? Happens all the time!)

So let's talk about your personal Kansas.

It's easy to know where you fit in the world when you're world's small. When you're comfortable, you don't look around wonderin' what else is out there. Wonderin' always leads to some form of discomfort because you're going beyond what you already know.

Mindfulness is taking a walk outside of Kansas. It's looking at things you've only ever assumed you've seen but haven't really looked at in a long time (or ever). And when this happens, when we start to get uncomfortable? Our instinct is to stop dead in our tracks, do a quick 180 spin, and run full tilt straight back to the place we feel most safe (read: comfortable).

If you actually give into this almost overwhelming desire to be comfortable, you'll never change. You'll never grow. You'll never learn to manage your weight successfully -- because if it were comfortable, you'd already have done it.