Wordy Wednesday: Exposed Edition

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. - Walsch

I'm cranky today.

Yep... not going to be little Miss Ray of Sunshine today. It's aaaalll crankies all the time.

Part of it is due to letting the little things get me down, part of it is not getting in a good dose of sweat therapy for 2 days in a row. Then there's the miles of other things that are sitting on my brain, pecking at me like a badelynge of ducks (See dad, I do listen! :) forcing my comfort zone to implode on itself.

Thing is, most times I know when I finally recognize the mood, I have 2 choices:

1) Grab a board and ride the cranky wave as far and as long as it'll take me... not having a care in the world for the potential destruction and devastation I could leave in my wake.

2) Do what I need to do to get over it.

Today I learned a lesson: There's a 3rd option that occurs when I can't decide between the first 2 choices: Get the cranky flicked out of me like an annoying gnat.

Yep... nothing like a dose of gratitude and shot of helping someone else to break the crest of a perfectly good cranky wave, darnitall. I was sooo looking forward to the pity party at the end... there was a promise of cake and everything! LOL! ;)

Anywho, first off, I came across this blog... I wasn't going to read it at first, but something made me click on the link. Turns out it wasn't for the feint of heart in a few ways, but I'll get to that later.

watrd.wordpress.com/2009/11/1
7/the-exposed-trail-of-fame/

It brought tears to my eye, and humbled me in ways I still can't quite verbalize. The openness, honesty and vulnerability is amazing.

Then I've been having an amazing text convo with my friend Mon. Asking a few pointed questions, making an observation, sharing in her epiphanies - what a way to breakout of my own little cranky, clouded world! (By the way, Mon... get over yourself and just do it... and yes, I am taking my own advice. ;)

The it hit me... It's all about being exposed.

When you're going through a process of change, you can only remain in one place for so long before you're forced to move. In January, 2009, I proudly proclaimed this to be the year I get comfortable with discomfort... when you get comfortable, you stop growing.

The problem with growth is that you come to realize the areas where you're NOT growing (yes, Ramona... I know. Really. It's been a big thing on my mind.) Your weaknesses are exposed and eventually you get to the point where you can't ignore them any more.

Another problem with growth is that your former comfort zone doesn't fit any more. The ease at which I could sit on the couch and be oblivious to the proverbial 2,000 gorilla in the room that was made up of The Things I Need To Do is no longer a viable option. I'm forced to expose those things I've been putting off, or only have been doing half heartedly.

When you make the decision to change, you, eventually, have to take an objective look at your life and see what is preventing you from moving to the next level. You have to air your dirty laundry, expose those skeletons in your closets, shine light in those deep dark corners of your life to see what's still lurking there, dig deep through the years of mental and emotional clutter, and some of the physical clutter to see the things in your past that are still exerting influence on you today.

Thing is, when you take that first step to expose yourself, figurative or literally (please, no flashing total strangers ;), you can start to see yourself, your life, your path, just a little clearer and in a better light. Sure there may be areas of improvement, but really... things aren't all that bad.

Question is, are you ready to expose yourself?

Promise me you'll always remember:
You're braver than you believe,
and stronger than you seem,
and smarter than you think.

~Christopher Robin to Pooh