Step out of your comfort zone!

I've had an exciting year. Both in good and bad. A lot of things have happened that have made me think about my life and existence. Last summer I had an epileptic seizure while traveling in Budapest. It was really scary. I woke up in the ambulance and nobody spoke English. Around the same time I started having some problems at home. Balancing my job, the uncertainty of the reasons behind the seizure, writing my thesis, starting my own company, the problems at home, not to mention my keeping up with friends and hobbies have been quite hard. But I managed it somehow and it is all looking better now.

I am quite the restless person. I like to be on the move and I'm not big on staying in one place for a very long time. Needless to say, I love traveling. A full-time job has restricted my traveling time quite the bit, but I've managed to get away a couple of times. Having a daily routine is a good thing for most people, and I can't say that I haven't enjoyed it (with free weekends and all), but at some point I noticed that I'm falling into a pattern. Waking up the same time every day, breakfast, the same route to work, working for 8-9 hours, going home, gym, sleep. Basically the same stuff every day. Which I don't like. How are you supposed to evolve and develop yourself if every day is the same? One small help might be to mix it up. Have something different for breakfast. Take another route to work. Look up on from your shoes, and take a look at your surroundings. I found this video, that inspired me a lot.

I was lucky enough not to be taught at home to "make sacrifices" or "accepting my fate". My mother always told me that I can do anything and I should always dare to dream! I always enjoyed leaving my comfort zone. I'm not usually scared of doing things differently. And I believe in the magic zone! Surely I have my moments, where I stay in the comfort zone, but I do try step out of it quite a lot. At least I'd like to think I do. The thing is, I am taking baby steps. I am longing for something more. As I bought my flight tickets to Australia for July, one of my collagues at work was impressed and horrified at the same time. "You are so brave, to travel so far away alone!". In her eyes the fact that I am going down under to visit my best friend, didn't lessen the being brave part. Do you dare to dream? Yes I do!

There are other things that I am working towards, where I am forcing myself to step outside of my comfort zone. Big time! I can't really talk about it yet, but I will, soon. I promise! A part of that step is finishing my thesis, which I have been working on for quite a while now. Well kind of. I was quite far along, when about a month ago I decided to change the subject for my research. It might not have been really well thought through, but I was slightly forced into it, since proceeding on my former subject became quite impossible. I have set a deadline this time, partly because I was semi-forced to do it. Mysterious, I know, but I'll reveal my secrets in time. Be patient! Anyways, the thesis must be done by September, and I really need to pull myself together for that. The fact that I am going to Australia for a month in July doesn't help. I guess I just have to get on it.

Quote by David Bowie

Today I heard a great quote. I was watching the Gilmore Girls, and in this one scene Luke says to Lorelai:

"You've just gotta jump in, be scared and stick with it until it gets fun."

I really liked this quote, because sure, change is scary. But if it's a part of going towards something you want to do, then it'll be worth it. And if not, then you'll at least be an experience richer. I've done some decisions in my life, that people consider brave. I'm not sure I see them that way, but I can agree on them being quite big decisions. For example moving to Finland for school when I was 15 and moving to Germany after high school with no plan whatsoever. And I have not once regretted those decisions. Sure, I have looked back and thought about what my life would've been like, if I'd made some other decisions. But I've always come to the conclusion, that I've made all the right decisions. For all those decisions have lead to me being the person I am now. And I wouldn't want to change that. So I will keep making life altering decisions, because I am sure that they will lead to great experiences. After all, like John Green said:

What are your biggest life-altering decisions? Have you made any big decisions you regret?