Getting out of..

....your comfort zone.
You know how it is. You hear a certain expression, saying or phrase repeatedly for months, sometimes years, and it makes no impression on you.
Then one day, you read that very same expression or somebody mentions it in conversation, and ping! something is triggered inside your brain. Some signal is given to "pay attention". Why all of a sudden is this phrase important?

Well, who knows really. I figure it just means that you are in a receptive frame of mind to learn whatever it is you need to learn.

"Getting out of your comfort zone" is a phrase we hear from time to time. I usually get a distinctly uncomfortable feeling when I hear that. The meaning is crystal clear. Watch out - something is going to hurt.

I was reading an article in the newspaper the other morning - an article on fitness and health. "If you want to make positive changes in your body and level of fitness, you have to Get out of your Comfort Zone."

Hmmm - I don't like that phrase. But for some reason it's stuck in my brain. I bought some new variety of tomatoes. They were brown and looked awful. But tasted delicious! I splurged and bought my bread at the bakery last week. I was not impressed. It tasted like fast-food-french-bread (now I know there is no such thing as fast-food-french-bread, but it gives you an idea of the taste. I was expecting a heavenly, whole-grain, down-to-earth, fresh baked loaf. No way.

Took a long, long walk. After all - I had read this expression in a fitness article. Though tired afterwards, the next day I felt more energetic. Coincidence? Maybe. We'll see how things go.

This afternoon, I put a bottle of cold water, my wallet, and cell phone into a backpack, strapped it on my back, and walked into town. I've lived in Hudson for 13 years and have never walked into town. The reason? Hills. We live at the top and the village is down in the valley. Fun going down, but h*ll coming back up, especially carrying groceries on your back.

I set out along the gravel road (due to construction in the area), my mantra echoing in my brain (Get out of your Comfort Zone). Along the way I admired a gorgeous rose garden (you don't really see it zooming by in a car), a stone wall, and dozens of other gardens in bloom. I watched ducks swimming on the pond (where is my camera??), saw the foundation for a brand-new house on a previously wooded lot, some new For Sale signs, all the while listening to cardinals calling and finches twittering. Took a shortcut or two and before long (almost an hour), I was at the grocery store. Picked up some steaks for BBQ-ing, and some veggies. Not too much. I was mindful of having to haul it all back home.

The way back was harder, as I knew it would be. But it didn't bother me in the least (well, until I took a shortcut through some mosquito-y woods). I took my time, meandering by the shops with their flowers on display. An old-fashioned spinning wheel in front of an antique shop caught my eye, making me think of Sherry at Q's Corner.

Back at the duck pond, I saw a young boy looking intently at something on a rock. I walked over to have a closer look. A huge turtle or tortoise was sunning itself on that rock. It looked so weird and still and big, I thought it was fake. It's body must have been the size of an over-sized dinner platter. I've never seen a turtle that big in our area.

"Do you think this turtle is real?" I asked the boy.
"Yes, it moved it's head," he replied.
Why oh why didn't I bring my camera???
Never mind, there will be a next time. And think of all the interesting things I have to tell hubby. Changes in the neighbourhood he doesn't get to see.

The shortcut through the woods was wet and buggy - very uncomfortable! But I got home just in time to throw some marinade on the steaks for supper, take a quick shower and collapse into a deck chair. After drinking about a gallon of cold water, I managed to compose myself and look serene and relaxed, book on my lap when Hubby poked his head out the door, having just woken up from his afternoon nap.

I'll let you know if I can make it out of bed tomorrow morning!