Irene Hello loves!
I apologize for the radio silence. I know it’s been some time but I’ve been a busy bee! I currently write you from Fort Lauderdale, FL, as I am here for work. Less than a week ago, I was exploring Spain with my in-laws. Boy, what an adventure that was! This trip definitely got my travel itch started. Being there felt so surreal. I definitely felt like I was in a different world.
On this trip, I was able to mark a few firsts off my list. Not that I was really keeping track. But some of these firsts included some fears I have. As I grow and become more mindful, I took special notice of feelings and thoughts that crossed my mind. I shocked myself and was also slightly proud for how I handled myself in these scenarios when I’d usually have an internal panic attack.
I’m not too fond of heights and this trip definitely tested my limits. I’ve never been the biggest fan of flying and this was my longest flight I’ve ever taken. On the flight back, we had some turbulence which typically makes me pretty nervous. I recognized that I was feeling uneasy and just tried to breathe and assure myself that everything would be ok. Lo and behold, everything turned out fine.
While in Barcelona, we took a cable car, the Teleférico. The cable car binds the port with Miramar, on the slopes of Montjuic. Waiting for the cable car was the worst. The tower we had to go up was swaying and the thought of being suspended over 75 meters in the air by a “car” on a cable, wasn’t something I was in a rush to do. I once again tried to breathe and not think too much about it. Once in the car, I still felt pretty nervous. Anxiety started kicking in and a lot of the others in the group were also uncomfortable with the idea of taking this ride. The ride one way was only 10 minutes long and turned out not to be as bad once we started moving. Others were laughing out of nervousness and the high energy in the small car started getting to me. I prompted myself to take deep breaths. The self talk started kicking in and it helped bring some of my nerves down. I finally began to admire the beauty of the view that surrounded me and took pictures galore. Although I calmed down some, I was definitely glad to get to the other side.
I’ve been reading and hearing about “leaning into the discomfort”. During these moments that I was experiencing fear, nervousness, and anxiety, I tried to coach myself to lean into in. To almost embrace the emotions I was feeling in order to stand up to them. So often, I try to distance myself from things that make me uncomfortable. How do I expect myself to grow further, if I continually try to stay in my comfort zone? Sure it’s warm, familiar, nice, and comfortable. But how does staying in this comfort zone challenge me?
Lean into the discomfort. Growth does not thrive when staying in your comfort zone.
I few months ago, found out about the Wanderlust 108. The Wanderlust 108 is the World’s only mindful triathlon. This isn’t your traditional triathlon. This is a celebration of healthy living and is all about community, bringing together a 5K run/walk, an outdoor yoga experience, and a guided meditation. This is DEFINITELY my jam! I’ve participated in a traditional triathlon but only teamed up with others to complete it as a relay. This will be my first triathlon and what better one for me to try than this one!
For preparation, I plan on doing the 28-day run, yoga, meditate challenge. The preparation will be a challenge in itself as I’ve never completed a full workout plan or challenge before. But I’m going to lean into the the discomfort of any thoughts that I can’t do it or feeling lack of motivation and prove myself wrong. Check it out and feel free to partake! The link above has a calendar to follow the challenge!
While I’m not ready to jump out of a plane or ride a roller coaster…baby steps, people. I am ready to face smaller challenges and try things that I normally would not try. I want to try to challenge myself to continue growing and learning.
Are you up for leaning into the discomfort? What do you have in mind that will challenge you?
Until next time friends,
xo – Irene
