Hello and Happy Friday Listeners! Welcome to the Friday Edition of our daily show: Minute Explorations. On Fridays I like to open up this space for a longer show, invite guests in if you'd like, and explore things together! If that sounds like a space you like to be a part of, give me a follow and let's dive in! 

Today we are going to talk about the comfort zone-- that zone where we feel safe and comfortable and cozy and that nothing ever happens because we're just surviving. So the real question is, what if we were THRIVING instead?The comfort zone is usually a place where we feel safe, but it's rarely a place where we feel like we're thriving and proud. Thriving is such an alive word, it feels like you're growing, and full of momentum. You know what doesn't have momentum? The comfort zone. That's because the Comfort Zone is stagnant. Unmoving. Uninteresting. We often exchange so much to stay safe and comfortable. The comfort zone is merely a rest stop, you aren't meant to stay comfortable, you are built to live your life. When we're not growing, we are not alive in the same way. Often people feel something is missing from their lives, or they feel trapped, or even stuck-- and these are all clues that you are just merely existing in this comfort zone, and that it may be time to break out and embrace the unlimited opportunities the world and this life can offer you. 

Today, I wanted to recite a poem from one of my favorite poets: Mary Oliver. She has so many beautiful, haunting, and connected works out there, and this one, on breaking out of the comfort zone and living your life to the fullest really paints a picture of what all is out there and waiting for you while you merely exist where you are. The truth is, we are all dreamers, and we can all make believe in our heads of all the worlds that await for us, so let's be dreamers but  let's also be doers and go live our live to the fullest. Here is and excerpt from Mary Oliver's Poem: Have You Ever Tried to Enter the Long Black Branches

Listen, are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?

While the soul, after all, is only a window,

and the opening of the window no more difficult than the wakening from a little sleep

You can listen to this poem in it’s entirety on the podcast version of this newsletter. You can also read this poem and others from her book: West Wind: Poems and Prose Poems available at various books sellers through these (unaffiliated) links:

Barnes and Nobles

Amazon

Flying Pigs Books

This Poem. This poem. I love this poem because it's so connected. Not only to that inner fire within all of us that helps us to dream, but also because it connects us to the wild of the earth and the creatures in it. There is a quiet desperation in life all around us. You can imagine that there is no wild thing out there that is merely existing. The purpose of life is to thrive and push towards every future sunset before us. WE are not built for a comfort zone. No living thing is. There is no life within stagnation.So how do we escape? How do we push towards a life of thriving instead? 

I would love to hear from you all out there listening right now. If there are ways you get yourself out of your own comfort zones, please feel free to come up a share your experience, your thoughts, or even your ideas. We all learn and grow in this space together, and you will have no idea what lives you can impact or change just by sharing your experiences, dreams, and ideas. 

If you are just now tuning in, we are talking about the comfort zone, we had also shared a poem from Mary Oliver, and if you're not subscribed to my newsletter yet linked in my bio, do it because that poem will be available later today through there in case you missed it or want to read it over and over and over again like myself. So the Floor is open, if anyone wants to join in.

Guest: Laura

Guest: Dr. Rao

Guest: Ronald

So what is it going to take to get you to take a step beyond dreaming? To take a step towards believing? And take those next steps towards doing and becoming and realizing that dream for yourself? 

Reiterating Mary Oliver's quote:

Listen, are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?

Don't just breathe listeners. Be brave, and live your life. Start that today. There's a lifetime of absolutes out there, the sun will rise, there will be new beginnings, and new wonderful things to embrace along the way. Don't let that comfort zone be your absolute. The world is beckoning you to live, to thrive to make your mark. Let today lead you into the wild potential of your life and your soul.

I'm Coach Kate. Thank you for tuning into today's Friday's Edition of our Exploration series. If you liked what you heard today, feel free to give me and the other contributors a follow. If you'd like a copy of our talk and Mary Oliver's poem in your inbox, be sure to sign up for the newsletter linked in my bio. I look forward to connecting with you all again and exploring new ways to thrive ahead next week. Thanks again.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katebomb.substack.com