Wauponsee Glacial Trail
“Enter through the Narrow Gate; for the gate is wide and broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. How narrow and constricted is the road that leads to life and those who enter it are few.”
Life is Hard. It’s never easy to do the right thing but to excel and grow in life you have to take chances. You have to do something your not comfortable doing. You have to take the road that is less traveled.
It’s not easy to step out of your comfort zone because everything today is based on making your life EASIER! Think about it. Technology is designed to make us comfortable. It started with the remote control because who would want to actually get off the couch and turn that channel. 🙂 I’m so comfortable with that remote that If I lost it I wouldn’t know what to do. I’d search for hours until I found it, rather than physically turn the channel.
Stepping out of my box involved conquering the fear of the sound of my own voice. You know, when you hear yourself on an answering machine and it just makes cringe! Well, I had the same fear, only it was multiplied by a hundred times because when I was attending Naval Nuclear Power School, everyone busted my chops for my Chicago accent. After four years of people telling me I sounded funny, I developed quiet a complex.
Public Speaking is the number one fear of Americans today. It’s followed by a close second of DROWNING. Wow, so you’re telling me people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy! I was one of the many who had that fear but I knew that if I was going to excel in life, I’d have to conquer that fear. So I stepped out my box and joined Toastmasters. www.OrlandParkToastmasters.org
Toastmasters is a group that helps you improve your public speaking skills and I have to say that it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It hasn’t been an easy road but I have made great progress in the past eight years. I can honestly say that every aspect of my life, whether it be family, professional, or social, is better because I’m a more effective communicator. It all started by taking that one step out of my comfort zone and my life has been changed forever.
I strongly encourage you to step out of your box today and get on the road less traveled. You too can change your life with one small step!
