Getting gutsy is all about stepping outside your comfort zone to reach your goals. I’m participating in Jessica Lawlor’s #GetGutsy Essay Contest. To get involved and share your own gutsy story, check out this post for contest details.
Jumping fire during my first 5K
When I think about the last year, two words come to mind: comfort zone. 2013 was an amazing year filled with many successes, a couple of failures and several leaps of faith. I am not one to readily jump out of my comfort zone to try something new. I like things a certain way; routines are a way of life for me. But, what I learned this year was that I can keep my routine while trying new things that provide a different perspective on life.
The biggest leap outside my comfort zone for 2013 had to be running my first 5K. Not only was it a 5K but it was a mud run complete with about 20 obstacles. Go big or go home, right? If you would have asked me a year ago today if I’d run a 5K, I would have laughed in your face. I said I never liked running without actually giving it a try. Now, while I am not an avid runner, I do enjoy running to clear my head and relax. I ran two 5K races in 2013; the goal for 2014 is to run three including Mudderella.
My next leap of faith was taken in New York City when I decided to go after a permanent job at the company I had be contracting for during the last year. When I started this job in November of 2012, I was unsure of what the future would hold. After contracting for nine months, the specific job I wanted posted on our company’s internal website. I applied instantly, knowing that this job was right for me. The job itself is outside of my comfort zone; it is not what I had planned nor it is a strictly communications job. But right now, it challenges me daily and allows me to build a variety of skill sets. The professional move outside of my career comfort zone has paid off tenfold.
Getting gutsy and making decisions outside of my comfort zone does not mean my routine or life has to be drastically altered. I was so scared of the unknown but found it can be an eye-opening experience. The last 365 have been packed with new experiences, memories and goals. My plan for 2014 is to keep pushing myself to the outer limits of my comfort zone while growing and learning during the process. This blog will see a complete overhaul in the coming weeks and I plan to travel to Europe in the early spring. These goals and others will help me stay gutsy in 2014.
What have you done recently that was outside your comfort zone? How was that experience? Please feel free to share with me!
Tagged: 2013, 2014, 5K, Blogging, Career, Comfort Zone, Essay Contest, Get Gutsy, Jessica Lawlor, New Job, New York City, Running, Travel
The Rockstar Diaries 
Congrats on a year of getting outside your comfort zone! Though I’m not a runner, I definitely admire those who push themselves — and participating in a 5K mud run falls in that category for sure! Hope 2014 is filled with great things for you.
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words! It’s absolutely been a challenge to get out of my comfort zone but the payoff is tenfold. Loved your get gutsy post too! Thanks again for reading and sharing!
First off, Alex…I am SO proud of you! Look how far you’ve come over the past few years. Mud runs?! Seriously?! Those are intense and you’re running them like it’s no big deal. That’s so awesome.
And second, as a PR person myself, I am so proud of how you’ve handled your career since graduating. You are so driven and motivated to succeed- I know nothing is going to stand in your way.
xox
Thanks so much Jess! That means a lot to me. Hopefully, there will be more get gutsy moves coming in 2014!
[…] of your comfort zone comes in many forms, some grand obstacles that you overcome (like running my first 5K last year) or smaller, more personal moments. For me, all of them can be described as […]