Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone

The media often talks about how a story has legs or not. What that means is does that particular story have other interesting aspects or can it be spun so that the public’s interest is pique to hear more.

That is what Finnair Quality Hunter’s position had for me, legs! 

When I first read the article, I was all excited. My mind was in a whirlwind. How cool would it be to be able to travel for free. If I was asked to join their team, I wondered what cities and countries I would visit. I do have favorites as I’m sure everyone does. But, I would be happy just to be on their team as traveling has always been a highlight of my life.

Then, cold, hard reality set in. You know, all those doubts and questions that roll around your mind. The “oh my gosh, I can’t do this?” “Are you crazy?” “You have to write what for them?”” How often?” “It would be nice but (feel in the blanks).”

But once I got over that reality, the excitement and the lure wouldn’t go away. It kept creeping back into my mind and imagination. The possibilities of being able to run with this kept surfacing. And I knew I would throw my own story into the mix. I set the date to submit my application several days before Finnair’s cut-off so that I wouldn’t miss their deadline. The date for me-Tuesday, September 21, 2010.

That was the easy part.  The hard part was yet to come.

Number 28  on my list: Learn to share my goals.

My normal way would be to tell  a close friend or two in an off like manner and leave it at that. I have never been good about asking friends and/or acquaintances for help or in sharing my goals. But I needed help. I needed people to “like” my My 60 by 60 fan page. So now, I was in a whole different ball game. I, myself, was giving this goal of mine a larger “story”  or “legs” than I normally would do. And I was way out of my comfort zone.

Even though my comfort zone was being stretched, it was time to test that limit, that murky “oh my gosh, you aren’t” feeling. The one that is screaming at you to come back to that “warm cocoon” place.  

Taking a deep breath, I sent email messages to my friends on Facebook announcing to them, and essentially to the world, to not only “like” my My 60 by 60 fan page. but what I was planning to do. I found out that being in that murky place doesn’t even compare to how truly humbled I feel and still feel to all who did “like” and the many who “liked” without being asked. Thank you!

I did met my goal of submitting my application to Finnair. But while submitting my application, I, again, wanted to run for cover as that “oh my gosh, you aren’t, hyperventilating” feeling rushed in. I only knew that if I didn’t submit my application, my story would lose its legs. And I didn’t want it to end, yet.

As to whether this story of mine still has a leg or two left, I won’t know until next week. But I did learn that by stretching oneself a bit has an amazing influence on your psyche. And none of those feelings would have been possible without all the support from my family, friends and acquaintances.

Thank you all for being a part of my story.