Ever since I can remember, I've been making choices that break me out of my comfort zone. Perhaps it's because I can't sit still for too long, for I need to be constantly stimulated. I don't have ADD or anything, but I generally get bored easily. This type of mentality can be challenging, but luckily I'm pretty self-motivated and I use it to my advantage.
When I was 12, I up and decided to audition for an arts school. There was nothing wrong with my current school - but somehow, deep down, I wanted more. I had been in a couple of shows at school, but nothing major. I was quiet and shy, and the thought of going to school for drama was a bit laughable (and I'm pretty sure my parents did laugh about it). Laughter aside, I did it, and I got in. I spent the next 7 years (grade 7-12) acting, dancing, and singing my way through graduation. I broke out of my comfort zone, left all of my friends behind and started fresh. Scary as shit when you're 12, but somehow I knew it was the right call.
When I was in university, I had another dream of doing a semester abroad in Europe, specifically, France. I thought of the baguettes I would eat, the sing-song language in my ears, and backpacking across the places that I had only ever read about. What I forgot to think about what the hours at the French consulate prepping for my visa, the fear of being alone in a foreign country, and my lack of language skills stopping me from expressing my concerns. But, I did it, and I broke out of my comfort zone and that experience is what helped shaped the traveler and explorer that I am today. I can honestly say that I doubt I would be as avid of a traveler as I am today without my time in France.
I broke out of my comfort zone again, when I joined Disney Cruise Line as a crew member. I knew no one, but packed my bags and departed from Amsterdam. That experience led me to some of my closest friends and having the time of my life (amongst some personal struggles, but overall, the experience was positive). Breaking out of my comfort zone was tough and lonely at times, but in the end - so worthwhile.
There have been a couple more personal instances in my life where I refused to settle, knowing that there was something greater waiting for me on the other side. This mentality may seem a tad millennial, but instead of focusing on the newer/greater thing waiting for you, I like to focus on what I will be like by not giving up on my dreams. That's the better mentality. It's about not allowing yourself to settle, and constantly striving to make yourself a more capable, well-rounded, lived individual. A person who knows who they are, what they want and what they are capable of. It changes day to day, but to try and achieve this is one of my life's goals.
So many people settle. They give up on wanting more because they don't know how to get it or don't realize they are worth more. My lesson for you is don't give up. If it's your dream to make it to Paris, or even leave your hometown, get out and do it. Save money, work a second job - whatever it takes to get you from Point A to Point B.
There is always a way.
Taking a leap of faith and leaving your comfort zone is scary. It's downright terrifying at times. It's not always the easiest either. There are moments that will make you want to go back to the warm and cuddly comfort zone (i.e. me crying in a phone booth to my mom on Day 2 of moving to France because I couldn't get my key to unlock my apartment), but then there will be the moments of change and greatness. These are the moments that will make you a better person, they will make you realize how much you are truly capable of.
I can't wait to see what you do when you put your mind to it.
PS: The photo above is one of my favorites. It's of my friend and I who spontaneously decided less than an hour before the train left Antibes that we were going to Paris for the next 4 days. My jeans (you can see them in the photo) were still wet from the wash. We made it by the skin of our teeth and had the absolute best times. What a way to visit Paris for the first time - we didn't even have a hostel booked. Had I not taken that trip, who knows when I would have made it to Paris. So grateful for every time that I've even taken a leap of faith. It may not always be the best experience, but it has helped me to grow and change, and for that I am thankful.