Stepping Out… of Your Comfort Zone

In the course of our lives, we all find ourselves in situations that I will describe as outside of our comfort zone. Things that if we weren't required to do it, or love the person who asked us, or felt like we "had" to do it, we would never other wise do. For me, that was last weekend. The Friends (formerly known as the Auxiliary) asked me to help them with their fundraiser. I said yes and then they told me it was to 'dance' in a ‘Dancing with the Stars' contest. I still have never seen the show but you guys get the drift - beautiful women dancing with men who can dance and then getting voted on.

To set the picture for you - my friends call me 'Grace' not because I am graceful but because once a year I take a nose dive when I am out for a run at 5 am and end up bloodied and battered - which is really attractive. So when I realized I was going to 'dance' in front of an audience - I was looking for the door. But, I had made a promise and I was going to figure it out.

So I go to Joanie Roop, an amateur dancer, RN Education Dept, who has won competitions and hooks me up with a dance instructor who will do this with me. After 19 lessons in just 8 weeks, I am dancing in front of 200 people. My goal - don't throw up and don't fall. I hit my goal, but I tied for third place out of four.

The process reminded me of how many things we ask our kids and families to do on a daily basis. On the inpatient unit, their pain is palpable and we are asking them to walk and talk in excruciating pain. In outpatient, we are trying to get them to keep coming when the continued progress is not always apparent but has to be built over months, not days. In LTC, parents give their children to us...virtually turning them over to us and leaving. These are incredibly difficult things - much more difficult than dancing and we all take it for granted. Just like the people who watched me dance. It was terrible for me. Not fun, just torture. Am I glad I didn't embarrass myself? Yes. Was I proud of what I did? Not really. I just got through it. I could never 'embrace' it because I was so uncomfortable. How many of our kids face the same challenge? Or their parents not being able to accept and love their 'dancer' in the way they want to?

It was humbling and in some ways defeating that I couldn't get out of my own way. But you know what - I did it. The Friends raised money and everyone who loves me was there by my side, cheering me on. That was the gift. Not the gift of dance, but the gift of love from friends and family and most of all, humility.

So, I shared mine - I am human. Sometimes, being human isn't enough - but it is all I could give and the next day - the sun still came up.

I’d like to think by sharing my story, I’ve helped others think about how they approach their own personal or professional challenges.

Would you like to share about being in situations that are outside of your comfort zone and how you overcame it?