Embracing your courage zone….
I find myself in the spa talking with my long time friend from university. We’re both yapping on about the stresses of being an expectant father, his wife is due in June and my wife is due in October. Added onto that I’m due to relocate to DC next week, crazy I know, probably why my friend decided to treat me to the spa experience.
We had contemplated playing football (soccer to those who don’t play) or basketball, but as we sat in the eucalyptus steam room letting our stress and worries melt away, we agreed this was by far the best choice for our current predicament. After the moan and rant about our beautiful lovely ever so slightly now crazy wives, who understandably are growing a human being from scratch inside their bodies, a feat our brains can’t even comprehend.
We moved to all the crazy changes I’d taken on at one time, leaving my paid job to start my mental performance practice, having my first child and relocating to another continent. He started waxing lyrical about living in the courage zone and pushing yourself to achieve your goals. Then he moved onto the furniture we couldn’t sell and had moved into our garage for storage. He said to me you are doing the right thing go out there and live in your courage zone, give it your all and after 2 weeks you can come back to the UK and live out of your garage back in your comfort and safety zone. We both started laughing and joked of how to make living out of my garage work.
It reminded me the power of humour when you’re taking on big challenges, it reminds you you’re human and should embrace your fears and vulnerability and still step into your courage zone. Never take yourself too seriously and at the end of the day whatever it is your planning to do it’s not the end of the world. Things will still carry on the sun will rise and you will still be you.
I left the spa feeling rested and rejuvenated almost like a new man. This is why I always try to stress to my athletes/performers the importance of rest and rejuvenation. Although every time I ask the question how do you relax? I get this perplexed stare that says is this guy crazy why would I want to relax.
