Is Change as Good as a Rest?

Is change as good as a rest?  

Well...I don't know about that.  Apples and oranges if you ask me.  Rest is a powerful creature- too little rest and chaos follows...too much rest and the weight of inertia settles in.  

Change is an entirely different animal all together.  It can occur slowly, organically and seemingly without detection over time.  Or, it can happen with wicked speed and force, ripping away life as we know it and revealing an unknown world.  (Oh ok, there maybe some shades of grey in between but a little drama never hurts;)

Everyone approaches change with a different perspective.  Many of us hide from it.  Avoid it.  Pretend we don't see it:)  Some of us are actually drawn to it.  Embrace it.  Seek it.  Even need it.  Regardless of where you are on the scale, I think you will agree that change is...well...uncomfortable.  Moving from that which we know to that which we do not know is always a little uncomfortable.  Rough, twitchy, shaky, awkward, rigid, messy, clumsy...I am not sure of the right word here...but it is anything but smooth or flowing.

So why on earth would we ever step over the edge into change if it is so uncomfortable?  

Change stretches our perspective.  It not only expands our physical world but also our mental image of our outer limits.  Our personal edge gets bumped out a bit further.  The sky lifts a little higher.  Our horizon moves outwards and we create space to grow into.  Change expands our capacity for living as human beings.

Change does not have to be massive to have impact on our lives.  Small changes can result in powerful shifts in our physical, mental and emotional selves.  Small changes can also light a spark that moves forward igniting more and more small changes...until...one day...boom!  You are in an entirely new world.  

Routine is wonderful, don't get me wrong.  There is true comfort in the routines of our life.  In contrast to 'rest', too much change can create chaos.  And too little change can also bring the weight of inertia with it.

Ready to feel a little uncomfortable?  

Are you ready to step over the edge and expand your horizon?  When is the last time you did something new?  Something you weren't good at?  Something you didn't know how to do?  The older we get, the less we try new things it seems.  Perhaps that is one of the reasons that children have such endless imaginations...the universe is their limit...they are expanding their horizons each and everyday with new challenges and concepts of reality.  

This month I have been stepping over my edge and trying a few new things.  (This is where this blog post grew from if you are wondering;).  What started as a strategy to distract myself from the dark days of winter, has turned into a fun personal adventure;)  

Last week I went to my first dance class.  EVER.  Yup.  Hip Hop at Triple Heat baby.  Who can't benefit from a few new moves?  How was it?  Fun, of course!  What surprised me was how much my head hurt, however.  Stretching your brain is a great workout for it! And hip hop is better than cross-words (and more fun) I say!  The week before it was a new yoga studio and class at the Asana Room.  I thoroughly enjoyed the instruction of a new teacher and the energy of a new space.  And last Friday I spent an hour with Cross-Fit coach, Mark, at Titanium to get an intro to the Olympic Lifts.  Clean and Jerk anyone?  That hurt my brain just as much as hip hop lol!  Trying to lay new patterns in a strong mind-body can be just as challenging as starting from the beginning...if not more?  I am looking forward to trying a few more new things this winter.  Not only is it great for personal growth but it is also a great way to meet new people and explore what the Valley has to offer.

And now... I have a challenge for you!  

I challenge you to try something novel this month.  We are having a December Challenge over at ELM...come on over and check it out and then I encourage you to post your Challenge.  What will it be?

Cheers,
Sarah.