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Jennifer's avatar

This was very well said. Living outside of your comfort zone is essential for growth. And I love the hashtag! It’s the theme song of all voluntary immigrants. Being forced to be in a constant state of beginner’s mind is something that falls into the exhausting-but-rewarding category. (And sometimes it reverses to the rewarding-but-exhausting category, which is when I resort to taking a nap.)

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Vikki's avatar

For some of us, living abroad was the risk, and it opened our eyes to whole new ways of being and doing the mundane (laundry comes to mind, again). And for others, risk could be starting a new career path, going back to school, participating in their first civil rights march. The choices are endless.

Along every new path I've meandered, I have learned that every risk has always positively impacted and changed me, as well a few people I meet along the way. I've learned to stop thinking of these changes in terms of risk, but instead remembering the personal growth and boundary expansion that will come with each new adventure. When I do stop to think back on all of the really cool experiences I've had, of course they were all risky. Of course I had fears and doubts. But when I remember how satisfying it is to have tried (even when I've failed), it's all worth the effort.

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