“Step outside of your comfort zone.”

I found myself saying this to a friend recently. Though, thinking back, I feel somewhat hypocritical because even typing that phrase makes me want to disappear. It’s terrifying. As I approach the second half of my undergraduate career, I am becoming increasingly aware of exactly how much time I have spent inside my comfort zone, and, sadly, I'm noticing how much that has held me back.

There is nothing wrong with continuing to do the things that make you happy. However, how will you ever know if that small step in a new direction was too risky if you never even put thought into it in the first place?

It’s now mid-September and schedules are beginning to stabilize, which I find is the prime time to begin exploring what else it is that you like to do. I want so badly to challenge you to do whatever it is that might benefit you but is scaring you. However, I know that my word will only mean so much. Rather, I would hope that you might feel even an inkling of courage to challenge yourself. College is a time to find yourself. So, go do it. Do whatever it is that scares you. Even if you fail, it doesn’t mean you can never try again. It just means that you might have to try a different method or a new mindset, or maybe even both. What’s scariest for me is letting go. I am so nervous to move forward from the past, good and bad, that I often find myself unable to be fully present and here now. It is sometimes very hard for me to focus solely on the task, situation, or even conversation at hand because my mind will wander into preoccupation of a rather unimportant or irrelevant topic, which is usually something to do with my future. Not to say that the future isn't important, but it certainly shouldn't consume my thoughts as much as it does.

I thought that I was the only one who felt this way, but I've recently learned otherwise, and I realize now how normal it is to feel lost at this time in my life, truly unaware of what is to come next for me. But upon helping a friend, I found myself giving a lot of advice that I, myself, needed to hear. After hours of late night venting and questioning the future, I came to one conclusion for both my friend and myself, and that is, “You can’t live today in fear of what’s to come tomorrow.” I’m 110% sure that I’ve read that quote (or something similar) before, just not quite sure where I read it or who said it (props to whoever did, though). All I know is the great truth that lies behind it. It's so easy to let life pass by if we don't grasp it and hold onto it as tight as we can right now.

I am the first one to admit that I am very unsure of what will become of my future, but, even more, I am scared that one day I will look back in disappointment that I didn’t push myself harder and farther and simply step out of that stupid box I’ve spent my whole life living within.

Tomorrow, I will challenge myself to do something new and take that baby step outside. I hope you feel the courage and the confidence to do the same. I truly think you’ll surprise yourself with what you are capable of. So, get uncomfortable and step outside.

And, as always, be kind and stay humble.