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This month's topic was contributed by Amanda Kubie.

The Stretch Zone

The Stretch Zone is a simple but powerful model for challenge by choice. Picture a bull’s eye with three circles. The inner circle is comfort and safety; this is at home, with your family, etc., the middle circle is the stretch zone, where reasonable risk-taking occurs. The outer most circle is the panic zone, when circumstances are so frightening that nothing productive takes place.

Last week a friend of mine had a going away party. He was leaving his life as a banker -- nice home, loyal pet, great car and all -- to join the Peace Corps in Nicaragua. It wasn’t a spontaneous decision; he’d applied to the Peace Corps months ago and had just been accepted. He had accomplished what many people want: a comfortable, secure, stable lifestyle, and he was leaving it behind. People at the party talked about him with admiration and suspicion, saying, “How brave! How noble! Is he crazy?!”

My friend’s choice to leave comfort behind and venture into a challenge is not uncommon. The outdoor adventure industry is absolutely thriving. Every day people intentionally chose to leave their cars, phones, and beds for a tent floor, rock wall, or bumpy ocean.

Clearly, there is benefit to discomfort, right? Otherwise why put one foot in front of the other when it’s pouring rain and you have three blisters, or keep climbing up when the view turns your stomach? So is stretching out of our comfort zone into discomfort worth doing in daily life? Absolutely!

Pushing past comfort and into the stretch zone requires characteristics that make us proud: discipline, courage, and self-confidence. Stretching ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually means asking more of ourselves. Asking more of ourselves leads to growth and inner strength.

There is nothing wrong with the comfort zone. It’s a great place to be: you know what to expect, things are in place, routine is nice. But when you step out into the stretch zone, things happen. You get scared. You risk. You grow. You become. You get a little insight about how you function. You see the world and your place in it just a little bit differently.

In a culture that meets our every need, from heated car seats to fogless shower mirrors, we are comfortable. The stretch zone gives us an inner change of scenery. How refreshing!

Make the stretch zone part of daily life. Imagine, right now, 5 things you could do next week that would give you a sense of confidence by taking you out of your element. Run farther than you ever have, or ask for the promotion you don’t think you’ll get. Wake up extra early just to catch a different view of the day, or be especially healthy for one week, drinking water as your only beverage. Whatever challenges you pick, make sure they mean something to you and will lead to a sense of accomplishment. Do all 5 of them, and see if it reminds you of cooking in a rainstorm or finishing the long day’s hike. As you know from your outdoor adventure, stretching takes effort and courage, but the payoff can equal a stronger, more confident sense of who and what you are. Here’s to the discomfort and joy of finding your Stretch Zone!

Amanda Kubie owns a professional coaching business serving outdoor adventurers. A free coaching session can be arranged by contacting Amanda@next-step-coach.com

Amanda Kubie
The Next Step,
www.next-step-coach.com
Amanda@next-step-coach.com


"You've completed an outdoor adventure, now apply it to your life goals,"


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