I see my comfort zone as an old armchair. When I’m tired it’s my favourite place in the world. But let’s be honest, it’s not exciting. The armchair is a bit old, it’ saggy, it’s moulded to the shape of my butt and it’s not great for my spine. The covers could do with a wash. When I’m in my comfort zone I’m safe but certainly not exhilarated.

Then there’s my edge. Yeah, let’s call it “my edge”, maybe even capitalise it “MY EDGE”. It’s like standing on the edge of a cliff waiting to hang-glide. Very exciting, not comfy! Maybe adrenaline is your favourite drug but it’s not mine.

But we all need a bit of both. None of us can sit in that armchair our whole lives. Staying there isn’t living. It’s a great place to rest but resting is the space between.

THE EDGE, is no place to live either. THE EDGE is capitalised and shouts at you. The EDGE is the space you leap over from the old to the new. It’s that moment of fear (big or small) that you confront, endure, live through, to try new things, to explore the world.

Waking and sleeping

It’s like this. We all need a balance of waking and sleeping. We need good rest to renew cells, mend hearts, let the dream world make our thoughts and feelings into stories, make meaning. Rest is needed to gather strength and to reflect.

Waking is needed because, well, otherwise we’d just be sleeping! Sleep-walking isn’t any way to live. Being awake, alert, alive, needs some challenge. We all need a reason to turn eyes, brain and body on.

Challenge

Sometimes I think I’d like to stick with a cushy safe life with no challenge. But “cushy” probably comes from “cushion” which sounds suspiciously like something you find in your armchair comfort zone. That’s the place where I get to “zone out”.

At MY EDGE I zoom in, fully alert. I have to be alert at my edge because I could fall off the cliff.

Armchair, path and cliff

Some time in the armchair, some time on the edge but most of it walking the path between. Step by step on the path, stopping for rest, going to the edge when need be.

And sometimes from the comfort of my armchair, the exciting, frightening new waves enticingly, drawing me to the edge. Like a ship drawn by the mesmerising light of the lighthouse. Guided to safety or sometimes directly onto the rocks.

Advertisement