Outside the box

How many of us are living inside their comfort zone aka their "box"? How many times have we heard the phrase, "Go outside the box!" Even a fast food restaurant has used a slight spin of that phrase in one of its marketing campaigns. I know that staying inside the box, the vault, the cocoon, (etc) is safe - believe me, I have lived it most of my life. But what happens, if you step outside of the box? Even just baby steps can help the box get bigger or even change the shape of the box. The entire concept of the "box" is different for everyone. Maybe not everyone has a "box-shaped" box; maybe my box is bigger than your box; maybe its the other way around. We all have one - that is where it ties us all together. Some people like (maybe love?) skiing down a mountain after they have been lifted to that site by a helicopter. That is not for me, but for those people that is totally inside their box. I was visiting with a friend a little yesterday that I do not know very well. We have always chatted and enjoyed seeing each other whenever that happened, but never really made it an event until now (we are having lunch in April). I am living outside my original box, but my willingness to keep going outside my box makes my box bigger. Or maybe it just changes shapes. In talking to people, I notice how afraid we are of trusting others and therefore allowing people to see our true selves. Been there, done that. Not to say that I ever was dishonest about who I was, but was selective as to what people got to see of me. In talking with my friend yesterday, she said some very nice things about the way I make her feel when I see her. I did not realize that my continuing to go outside my box made her feel that way. I am just being me and letting more of the world see me, for who I am. My running with Rocky started with the most difficult question I have ever been asked, and it was asked by someone I had know about a month. She asks questions all the time now, so I am a little leary now.She asked, "WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU WISH YOU COULD CHANGE ABOUT YOUR LIFE?" Exactly. Do you know where I am going with this? This is your question for the weekend...if you want to change something in your life, you have to admit that you want something different. Just wanting something different doesn't mean that it will happen, unless you do something different. Be brave today and go outside your box - even once, even if no one else notices. Journal what happened and look back it over the weekend. Find something else next week to expand your box - make it change shapes, do whatever needs to be done. Life is more fun when you understand that the size and shape of your box is limitless. But you have to be willing to go there.