A few months ago, I was driving late at night after picking up my son at college. We had to stop for gas. When I got back on the road, we had to drive up a small mountain and a heavy fog had rolled in, slowing our progress. Fortunately, I remembered what my Driver’s Ed teacher taught me years ago about fog:
- Slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination.
- Use your low-beam headlights and leave plenty of distance between you and the vehicle of front of you.
- In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, pull well off the road and into a safe location.
The instructor was talking about driving in bad weather, but he could have just as easily been talking about stretching yourself and taking on new challenges. Sometimes we have to take the best precautions we can, trust, and take the next step.
Some of my best moments in my life have been when I’ve stretched and taken a walk in no man’s land: heading off to college for the first time, asking my wife to marry me, deciding to have kids, climbing the corporate ladder, writing about some of the most revealing thoughts in my head.
I write about a few of the times I’ve taken a leap of faith today in Out of my Comfort Zone on the The Heart of the Matter. The times have certainly been full of stress and I’ve even taken some false steps and some falls, but I’ve always been better for putting myself out there.
Can you relate? How have you put yourself out there? How have you fared?
Image by Pedro Figueras via Pexels.
Writing from the Heart with Brian 
My driver’s education car was older than the new cars in 1977 and had a brake pedal on the passenger side! 😂
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Yes, the car I learned on (either my parents or the drivers Ed car) had definitely seen better days too!
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How is it that we remember that stuff, but not five days ago, Brian? 😂
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Will let you know.
Will be putting myself out there in about three months time.
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Good luck to you. If anything like my experiences, I’ve always been better for it. Positive thoughts.
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I enjoyed your analogy of driving in the fog for taking on new challenges.
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Where I grew up, fog was a regular thing, always hated driving in it. Reminds me of putting yourself out there. Need to move forward or get out of the way — can’t sit still or you’ll get hit.
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👍🏼
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I recently read a book that was out of my comfort zone. I even quit reading it, but later went back to it. By the end, I was so taken by the story in spite of its difficult themes and scenes, plus insights by the author that I reviewed it, giving it five stars. The author was touched by the review and asked whether I’d have a look at his next manuscript and maybe endorse it. Gulp. I said yes. More gritty characters, more wrestling with bad choices from the past, but eventual redemption. After sending my reaction, he admitted that he’d been discouraged but my response invigorated him to complete the manuscript. You’re right. I’m blessed by taking this leap.
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Wow, that’s a great example Joy. The feeling of yikes, what have I signed up for? But you have to feel good knowing that you’re having a positive influence on another writer. It’s definitely a strange feeling sometimes, but I really do feel that I’m blessed when I make that leap. Good for you!!!!
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Thanks! It also has a meant-to-be quality about it. I have a feeling that this will be an ongoing symbiotic friendship between two disparate generations.
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You never know … maybe a new writing partnership. Ha, ha.
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I love the analogy of the fog Brian and how it can be a symbol for us taking a step outside our comfort zone. There are moments in life when we are faced with these situations – and it’s great when we embrace as these as opportunities to grow.
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Ha, ha, and I worried that no one would get the analogy or that I was stretching it too far. Funny how that works. I’m glad it worked.
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What a great metaphor for the conditions we face when we head into new territory! Delightful and inspiring, Brian!! ❤
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Aww, thanks Wynne, but I’m just taking a simple leap, not putting in big time miles on my bike like you! Loved your post on your Vermont biking adventure from a few years ago. Looked like fun. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciate.
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Ah yes – but when riding, especially on a tandem, all I had to do was get on and pedal. 🙂
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Putting myself out there has usually been good for me. You have to at least play the game of life…
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