Stepping outside the box

I’ve heard that the definition of insanity was doing the same things over and over, but expecting a different result.  It does seem a bit insane. If I drive down the same road every day, I’m always going to reach the same place. BUT, if I decide to take a different route, there’s no doubt I’m going to end up somewhere else.

We may complain about our lives, but how many people actually change it?  Stepping out into the unknown can be scary, but can also be so rewarding. The first time I branched out, I was petrified.  It was a two week trip to see my boyfriend at the time.  He was a pilot and had taken a job in Hawaii for the winter.  Sounds rough, right?  Well, I was 20 or 21, I’d never been on a plane, I’d never travelled alone through the great big world, and I was uncertain about this relationship anyway.  But, a trip to Hawaii for two weeks, all expenses paid?  Hmmm, I’d be crazy not to go!  I thought sure if I left, something bad would happen in my family and I’d be too far away to do anything. 

Well, I ended up going.  I walked through gigantic airports scared to death, but trying to look like I knew exactly what I was doing.  I experienced turbulence for the first time wondering how this big hunk of metal I was on was going to stay in the air with all these “bumps”.  I actually listened to the flight attendants as they explained what to do in case of a crash.  I was in awe of everything new.  And, amazingly, while I was gone, no one at home had any trouble.  Imagine that. 

That guy and I ended up breaking up before my two week visit was over, but we still managed to have a good enough time.  It’s hard to be cranky surrounded by such beauty.  But even though I felt the loss of a relationship, I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment.  I had left my  small town in Northern NH and ventured out to the other end of the country.  I was a changed person.  That was really the beginning of my life. 

Since then, I’ve had more adventures in love, in work, and in life in general than I could even tell.  Some turned out well, some not so well, but even those helped me grow.

What holds you back from experiencing more?  If you’re happy with the way things are, awesome!  But if you wonder if there’s more to life than what you have experienced so far, take a step outside the norm.  There may be tons of blessings out there just waiting for you to come get them.