Five Years a Writer

The other day while driving around doing errands, I found myself yelling at the radio. The next guest was going to regale us lucky listeners with stories of his year-long travel to 52 countries around the world “and what he learned by stepping out of his comfort zone.” While I did listen to the segment (and enjoyed it) I first yelled at the radio: Stop telling me to get out of my comfort zone! I am quite happy in mine! There’s nothing wrong with my comfort zone! I’ve worked hard to reach this place! Since that moment of radio rage, I have wondered about my response to the suggestion that getting out of one’s comfort zone is a good thing. Was I protesting too much? Being defensive without sound reason? Hurling metaphorical sour grapes at the radio, the show’s host and the show’s guest? In the cold light of this morning, I don’t think so. One dictionary describes ‘comfort zone’ as “a place or situation where one feels safe or at ease and without stress”. Another says it is “a situation ...