One of the best things about living in Florida
is being able to be outside at this time of year.
I take advantage and work on
my golf game when possible.
We have beautiful birds and turtles on our course.
I have not seen any alligators.
It fascinates me to watch the turtles move.
While they go slowly, they do progress
and move forward at their own pace.
And they only advance when they
stick their neck out of their shell.
Often we get stuck in one place
and have difficulty moving.
We might get comfortable or complacent,
be fearful or uncertain of our next step.
Like the turtle, the way we move
is to get out of our shell.
We must get out of our comfort zone to grow.
Often that means sticking our neck out,
even when we are unclear about the path
that lies ahead.
When we expand our circle of discomfort
or confront or incorporate things we are avoiding into our lives,
we expand our comfort zone.
What was formerly uncomfortable or unknown,
is now familiar.
With an expanded comfort zone, our freedom increases.
We no longer are ruled by avoidance or our discomfort.
While often challenging, the more we put ourselves
out of our comfort zone, the more we learn and grow.
And like the turtle, we may move slowly,
but each step brings us to a new place.
In our fast-paced world, slowing down
to the speed of a turtle is okay too.
Just get out of your shell,
put your neck out and keep growing.