But Nothing Grows There

People naturally gravitate toward the familiar. But eventually, you run out of that favorite shade of lipstick. Your first impulse is to replace it with the same old shade as always. But what if you took that as an opportunity to take a risk, to get frisky with a mischievous shade or go bold with a more scandalous color? It’s easy to stay in a place where you feel safe and secure. Life may seem stable when it goes unchanged, but staying in the same place for too long can impact you in unexpected--and unwanted--ways. You want to live your life to the fullest? Start by breaking out of the cage you’ve put yourself in and spread your wings!

Your comfort zone is a beautiful place, but it can hold you back. 

Think of it this way: your bed is so comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, you probably don’t want to leave it in the mornings. At six A.M., you would like nothing more than to become one with your silk sheets and sink into the bliss of sleep forever. But you obviously don’t do that. You’ve got responsibilities! And you know that you won’t get anywhere in life unless you pull yourself out of bed and face the day. Cleopatra didn't become Queen of the Nile by lounging around--she got up, made sure her iconic eyeliner was on point, and made some waves.

Leaving your comfort zone can be a lot like getting out of bed in the morning.  It’s hard. It’s uncomfortable. We wish we could wrap ourselves up even just for five more minutes. But at the end of that day, when we’ve accomplished our goals, seen new sights, experienced the world and the people in it, aren’t we grateful we got up? Your comfort zone will always be there waiting for you, just like every night when we get to crawl back into our beds. But if we don’t get up and take on the changes--big and small--that come our way, then we have no chance of conquering the day. 

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” So take that step, if you dare. Changing up your go-to makeup can be an adventure into a new version of yourself, but even small changes can lead to a big payoff. Sign up for that new dance class. Talk to the cute guy in the coffee shop line. Find a challenge that excites you personally and decide to tackle it.

Keep in mind -- now that you’ve acquainted yourself with accepting and embracing change, make sure you look before you leap and keep a level head. Take that step, yes, but remember to keep your feet firmly on the ground once you’ve crossed the line you wanted to cross rather than jumping into the air. Plan every step you want to take; empowered women plot each move before they make it.