It’s SZA Time!

Last night, my best bud, Christina, and I went to a Zumba/Barre combo class at a local studio. Having never tried either activity, we were both nervous. What if we suck? What if everyone else is really good? What if we hate it?

As we sat outside the studio waiting to be let in, I noticed we were both doing the same things: assessing the other students, half-listening to each other because we didn’t want to miss any instructions, and fidgeting in our seats.

I took some strange comfort in knowing she was nervous, too. It always helps to know you’re not alone, doesn’t it?

Well, we went in there, shook our booties, exhausted our legs, and crunched our abs. When we got in the car to leave, Christina’s energy was beaming. “We did it!” I could tell she felt as proud of herself as I did me.

Attending this class was out of both of our comfort zones, but afterward, we felt like we could do anything! And that’s the power of living in the stretch zone.

At the beginning of every year, I come up with a list of things I’d like to try that scare me just a little (or a little more than a little). I call them Stretch Zone Adventures (SZAs). By committing to intentionally step out of my comfort zone as much as possible, I’ve found that it keeps my life’s energy from getting stale (which is a must if you want to rally some Universal support) and I attract opportunities I may never have otherwise.

Here’s a sampling of what’s I’m considering for 2014:

1. Zumba (check!)
2. When out to eat, order a type of dish I’ve never had before
3. Sell my house and travel
4. Climb a mountain that’s taller than 4,000 feet
5. Ziplining
6. Spend more time alone (without phone, Facebook, etc)

When I review the things on my list, I feel a combination of fear and excitement — that’s always my indicator that I should go for it!

So how will you mix things up in 2014? Maybe you’ll say “no” more to others so you can say “yes” to you. Or this may be the year you bungee jump! How about training for a 5K or marathon? Take some time to consider how you can keep the energy flowing in your life and welcome in opportunities.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas! Head on over to the comments on the blog and join the conversation.

Until next week…