Challenge accepted

After lamenting about a difficult chore (or homework assignment or project) to your parents, did they ever tell you, “Well, life is hard,”? Or did you tell your own kids the same thing, only to be met with an eyeroll? (Didn’t we swear we’d never say the same things to our kids that our parents said to us? I plead guilty.) Someone took this tired, ineffectual saying and made it relatable and useful.

Life is hard for two reasons: because you’re leaving your comfort zone or because you’re staying in it.

I’d like to credit this person, but I overheard it on my teenager’s device. A quick Google search revealed that a lot of people take credit for it.

This is certainly applicable in my family, especially this year. My oldest child, who turns 25 this summer, bought his first house in February. He and his wife live in Alaska, and they are moving off the Army base and leaving that comfort zone of no house payment, no property taxes and no utility payments. That’s a BIG comfort zone. This transition will have some difficulties – saving money (especially not touching that emergency fund) and learning how to make certain home repairs. However, they’ll make memories. They’ll make a comfortable home.

It’s also applicable to my youngest, who graduates high school this year. I won’t say her comfort zone has lasted 12 years – starting kindergarten, starting middle school and starting high school was frightening. But she soon settled into that familiar place and routine. Next, she’ll take a detour from that comfortable spot and start college where there’s no gentle reminders about due dates, difficult subjects to tackle and a lot more writing. So. Much. Writing. But she’ll face it with grit and determination, much like she did when she started barrel racing as a high school senior. Talk about leaving your comfort zone. She went from afternoons on the couch mindlessly scrolling social media to learning how to ride a 1,500-pound mare, then racing her in a small rodeo arena.

Where do you fall? Are you stuck in your comfort zone and things are getting hard because you’re not growing? Or are things challenging because you stepped out of that zone and implemented something complex like greenhouse upgrades or brought on a new leader?

Difficulties, challenges, trials – however you describe them – can initiate uncertainty or progress. Let’s help each other recognize which direction we’re going and provide support.