2011, Stepping In and Out of Comfort Zones

Copyright 2011, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

2011 became for us, really more specifically, for Moi, a year of stepping in and out of my comfort zones.  Sometimes dramatic steps, other times cautious, slow, small baby steps.  As I was walking (for exercise) around the park the other day my mind wandered, well more like blasted sideways, every which way, random thoughts, somewhat disconnected, but, all about my comfort zones.  Here, in no particular order, just blasting sideways outta my memory banks, some things that took me IN and OUT of my comfort zones in 2011:

THE Trip, lots of comfort zone stuff, bears and bison in Yellowstone, trams in Palm Springs (the over the top, largest OUT of my comfort zone event ever).

Below:  Sedona Arizona:

120 heat factor near Amana Colonies Iowa (that heat was also an over the top OUT of my comfort zone event, dangerous too).

Hiking in Moab and sliding down boulders and formations taller than I (OUT of my zone, but I did it).

Below, Man in Dead Horse State Park, he was IN his comfort zone, I was OUT of mine, even just taking the photo I was WAYYY OUT!

The views in Monument Valley, Bryce, Moab, Arches National Park, Zion National Park (the drive in was something else), Capital Reef (thanks Jan).   All new and visually exciting, but I am going to call them IN my comfort zone.  My eyes could not take it all in, Sony tried, but, also in reality failed.  It was all just so H*U*G*E!

Below:  Mesa Arch, Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park:

Boondocking vs full hookup camp sites.  Full hookups, definite IN the comfort zones, boondocking was at first OUT of the comfort zones, but, I loved it, even more than Man.  It was especially fun with all our MOC friends.

Lousy photos and some that take my breath away (both IN and OUT of my comfort zones, I think I learned something, then, I forget it, so I go learn it again!  LOL)

Reminded myself how much I don't like captcah, the necessary evil of blogging and the internet.  Many of my friend and readers don't like it either so this is an OUT of comfort zone, which sadly will remain here on Reflections and my other blogs till someone shuts off all the snarly nasty spammers.  Like that is going to happen, well, no, don't see that happening at all. SIGHHH

Babies born, loss of angels.  Both remind me of the circle of life, bringing me IN and OUT of my comfort zones, some shaking me to my foundation, leaving me different forever.

A huge IN the comfort zone:  We have friends all over this nation, so we are rarely somewhere alone.  We met bloggers and RVing friends almost everywhere we stopped.  It is comforting to know that our friends are nearby, and are available for lunch or dinner, a walk in a park, shopping and visiting.

In the family research part of my life:  Salt Lake City and the research mecca, TOTAL IN my comfort zone.  I miss onsite research, I miss research at the local Family History Centers.  I walked in, felt right at home, breathed in the familiar, hear Carol sigh, a total enjoy, the total IN!

Other family history comfort zones, I had to upgrade to RootsMagic 4 during my research time in Salt Lake City.  Giving this an OUT  of my comfort zone.  Learning curve is never fun, makes me snarly.  I was familiar with RM, but, 4 was quite a bit different than 3.  I still am not IN my comfort zone with RM4.  So, to take myself even further OUT of my comfort zone, I am now seriously looking at Legacy.  I am so far OUT of my comfort zone with this that I stopped all input for a month or more, thankfully, I was not doing a lot of research, but, still, events piled up, I need to address this.  So, I am doing what any right minded researcher does, I am using both and inputting my data to both.  Yea, the OUT of my comfort zone just grew larger yet.  

Other IN and OUT issues:  Snarly volunteers cross the web make the OUT of my comfort zone list.   Being addressed as "Miss Carol" while here in Alabama, way IN my comfort zone.  Time learning new software, new web sites, Google+, takes me OUT of my comfort zones for a while, hopefully, eventually, this morfs to IN my comfort zones and become good things.  Google + is really expanding my horizons, meeting new people, having new ideas tossed at me.  The photography I see there challenges me in so many ways, and if nothing else, I sure am enjoying the OUT of my comfort zone time I spend at G+.  Sometimes being OUT of my comfort zone is a very good thing.

Coming back to Gulf Shores Alabama for some of our winter months, so so so IN my comfort zone, like coming home again.  We were here for 5 months during the 2009-10 winter season, we are back and just enjoying it, breathing deep, IN our comfort zone.

The ultimate (for Carol) IN my comfort zone, being with Man and the yorks in Tana and a bunch of deep red rock (below, Monument Valley camping):

So, in hindsight, 2011 was packed full of IN and OUT of my comfort zone moments. Can't help but wonder, what 2012 might bring. I think I am ready!

Happy New Year to all our friends and family, may 2012 bring you many opportunities to reach out and step IN or OUT of your personal comfort zones.   With any luck at all you will get to experience both IN and OUT events, go ahead embrace the challenge.



* By the way, no goal setting or resolutions here at Reflections for 2012, part of my comfort zone experience is trusting my Maker to put me where I need to be when, to not question, to trust, to give up the false belief in control.  The ultimate step OUT of my comfort zone.
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