Safety Nets

We’re a day late for Tough Truth Thursday, but it’s never too late to hear it.

I’m sure you’ve heard the term “comfort zone” by now. But what does that mean for most of us?

For someone like me who is VERY used to having his comfort zone, I know all to well the challenges it can present when trying to leave it. Anxiety, stress, fear of the unknown… Sometimes even aggression if you’ve kept yourself so guarded from change. Taking on a new venture such as a new career field or trying out a hobby you’re not used to could be conceived as a leap of faith in my opinion.

We tend to always say things like “Well I need something to fall back on,” or “this is my rainy day fund in case anything goes wrong.” But see, this is where the problem lies; we’re anticipating something down the line is going to go wrong that we need to be prepared for. So knot by knot, we tie the safety net that we perceive is helping us from falling.

What we don’t see is that the more we give in to those thoughts of lack, fear and doubt, we entangle ourselves to the point that we’re completely restricted by the ropes that we’ve made for ourselves.

Here’s the rub, what if instead of anticipating things are going to go wrong, we start telling ourselves that we have everything we need to feel safe and secure already. Then we can start unraveling those knots and take those leaps of faith without fear.

Ben Driskell, LMT is a massage therapist practicing in greater Pensacola, FL area. Besides being a “muscle whisperer”, he greatly enjoys writing about issues related to healthy masculinity, mindful living and sacred intimacy. He hopes to aid men in embracing a lifestyle that is authentic to them and not what society says they should be.