Just Start Somewhere

If you're going to get anywhere, you've to to start somewhere. It's a simple thought, but sometimes I think it's half the battle. Taking the first step toward starting in the direction of positive change or just starting something new in general is always the most difficult because it's the first step outside of our comfort zone. It's the first step away from what we think we're certain of and toward what we see as unknown. Emotions and the concept of the comfort zone are powerful things. They can overcome what our logical mind knows. They can skew the way that we truly see ourselves. They can turn positives into negatives. When you look at it in that light, you have to wonder, what's so comfortable about a comfort zone?

I got thinking about all of this last night as I tackled cleaning a room in our house that has become the catch-all room of the house. The room was a disaster. It's a room that often gets neglected because no one really ever sees it, and lets face it, it's the perfect room to pack things into. Out of sight - out of mind. I stood in the doorway of the room, looking at things strewn about, and I felt panic and uncertainty start to creep in. I almost backed right out of the room, turned off the light, and slammed the door. Then I realized that wasn't going to solve my problem. If I walked back in the room tomorrow, it would still be a mess. I didn't know where to begin, so I just started somewhere. I started picking things up and sorting them into categories (toys, furniture, clothing, etc). It took about an hour, but pretty soon I could actually see the floor. I could finally see some sort of order in the room. The room is by no means finished, but there is order to it, which makes it a project that I'm much more willing to come back and finish. I even have some ideas about turning the room into something that will be used and is a positive change.

What does all of this have to do with comfort zones and life? A very wise woman, a.k.a. my mom, used to tell me that our rooms/homes are an outward expression of what is going on inside of us. A cluttered room means a cluttered mind. I believe it. I know that I keep myself so busy that I don't get around to cleaning house on a regular basis. I keep piling stuff up and then ignoring it. When I step back, I realize that I've let myself get too busy and let my priorities get out of whack. A home should be a place of peace and sanctuary, not a place to dump stuff between activities. To get anywhere, you have to start somewhere. I'm a work in progress.