It hasn't been easy for our Mexican Chihuahua to do her business outside these last three months. In fact, it's never been easy for Roxy. She grew up on the streets south of the border before we adopted her. She never had rules. It took years of coaching to finally teach her where her bathroom is. Normally, she has a small area about 4 ft x 4 ft outside in our backyard where the snow is cleared away. Not last night. The super warm temperatures widened Roxy's comfort zone. I let her outside without her leash. Big mistake. She spotted a bunny and took off, vanishing in an instant. It was like watching the greyhounds chase the fake bunny around the racetrack. The two kicked chunks of snow into the air as they rounded the corner of our home and disappeared while I watched through the sliding glass door in my bare feet, unwilling to chase after them. Our oldest son ran outside and tracked Roxy down.
The late-night episode made me think about our comfort zones. A six pound Chihuahua sprinted right out of her comfort zone as soon as she spotted something she wanted to go after. She didn't think about. She simply went with her instincts. I did the opposite. I saw all the hurdles. I thought about the pain of running barefoot through patches of snow and ice. How am I ever going to catch the bunny if I don't pursue my own dreams?
There is something scary about writing when you're outside your comfort zone, especially when you never learned the traditional rules. My training consists of participating in a writers critique group and gleaning information from the Internet. My gut tells me to keep going, keep chasing the bunny. Don't worry about anything. Just write, one chapter at a time. I'm at a point in my novel where the action is heating up. My writer's brain is thawing out. Yes, I'm outside my comfort zone. It's okay. This is where I belong. How about you? Are you ready to venture outside your comfort zone and discover your passion for life? Put on your running shoes and start today.
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