As the class started our instructor said, “So many people talk about going outside of one’s comfort zone,” and he paused. In my head I immediately thought about the challenge that this class was going to pose for me, having been away for so long. I quickly assumed that he was referring to rising to challenges. However, his next words made me smile: “Going outside one’s comfort zone doesn’t always mean stepping it up, doing more or stretching that little bit extra; sometimes it means slowing down, going easy and changing gears.”
At St. Clement’s School, our girls have high expectations for themselves. They are bright young women who strive to do their best and who want to join every possible activity and co-curricular option, in addition to participating in a challenging academic program.
As we strive to develop women with courage, it is important to remind them that this does not always mean going the extra mile or taking on another responsibility. Having the courage to go outside one’s comfort zone can also sometimes mean slowing one’s pace, opting out of an activity or saying no to that one more thing on the list.
In addition to getting some disconnected time, I got a wonderful reminder. I do believe things happen for a reason.
