On Forward Motion

For me, the year 2011 has served as a year of extreme self development. I have fought my natural instincts of settling into the lull of everyday life and have sought out self motivation and industriousness. Serious effort has been applied to leaving my airhead ways behind me, a bit of a struggle, but hey, everyone has to start somewhere. And as this year comes to a close I find myself pushing through discomforts I would formerly shy away from.

For example, I recently pursued a field I never would have dreamed (actually I probably would have placed it in the nightmare category); sales. To have to talk to people, and more than that, sell things to them, is an extremely frightening venture for me. I had to be ok with rejection, to separate myself from people's reactions, knowing that it wasn't personal. I had to put myself out there on a daily basis and roll with whatever came my way. While it was scary, I feel I have come out of it a stronger and more intelligent person with incite into professionalism that I would not have gained without the experience.

In reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, I have discovered that I fall into the category the author describes of people who are uncomfortable with technology. This represents a more massive classification of fear of systems in general. As I stated in my previous blog, I have been reading extensively in preparation for an eventual move to a dwelling with plentiful acreage for an organic farm, and this reading has forced me to confront that discomfort. Having to research crop rotation, green manure planting patterns, and spacial outlay of the land has ignited a deep seated discord within me. While normally I would wretch at the presentation of such mathematically involved planning, I have directed myself toward it, knowing that without this knowledge, the demise of my farm will be swift. Instead of turning a blind eye to the intricate foresight necessary, I am taking notes, reading and rereading passages to make sense of the logic that is so foreign to me.

While these are only a couple examples based in my own recent experience, it leads me to conclude that self development and forward motion of any kind require a removal of one's comfort zone. Because the comfort zone, while cozy, can act as a blinding force, not allowing wisdom to penetrate it's walls. I have found that I am more open and perceptive when those blinders have been removed, making personal growth inevitable.