#stretchyourcomfortzone

[pattimandel-blog]

Challenge me, please.

Something I struggle with occasionally is, I express a challenge I’m experiencing in a way that I want someone to have an understanding of what I’m currently working through. The typical reply I get is “that’s college”. 1. That is the least helpful reply. 2. This implies the college experiences don’t equate to real life. 3. I’ve had much more challenging situations to work through in career and life-it just happens that the college experience it the most relevant to me right now. 

What I’m trying to accomplish is engaging in more intellectual conversations. What many people don’t understand is that I’m really excited to have the opportunity to tackle these challenges that I face in college. Maybe I should learn to phrase how I express myself differently so I have more of a chance to have intellectual discussions regarding the challenge. Or maybe I need to have these conversations with people who didn’t go to college just to tick something off of their list. Or maybe I need to have a clever reply to those who choose to give the ‘been there, done that’ attitude. 

College to me is an incredible privilege that I feel very fortunate to experience at this age, with a clear goal, and relevant career experience. I’m trying my best to get the most out of college and take better ownership of where I’m at. Some of these noises are discouraging and I need to be better at filtering out the comments that don’t serve me. 

[givevolunteers]

Growth begins where your comfort zone ends. And personal growth feels pretty darn awesome. . Central to GIVE’s mission is the concept of personal growth. Through pushing people far beyond their comfort zones on off-the-beaten-path, culturally immersive adventures, we are able to foster genuine personal growth in our volunteers. . Never traveled abroad before? Never experienced life in a remote community? Never climbed a mountain before? DO IT. And experience it alongside a rad group of people willing to travel with purpose. . Also peep at that beautiful school we built alongside the Langtang community this summer! 🙌 Click the link in bio to say yes to stretching your comfort zone. . #givevolunteers #givenepal #travelwithpurpose #volunteerabroad #stretchyourcomfortzone #bethechange #learnthroughtravel #traveldifferently (at Langtang, Nepal) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3QARqgHVZg/?igshid=1arol2w6fpwl2

[luvfitall]

All it takes is a simple stretch to get closer to your goals. Come join me and do something GREAT for your body today as walk you thru and share my Basic Booty, Hip, & Hamstring Stretching for Flexibility! 👇👇(YouTube channel linked in my Instagram profile bio...*Or simply Youtube-Luvfitall) #stretchyourcomfortzone 💛🧘🏻‍♀️ : : #mondaymotivation #motivation #yogamotivation #stretching #stretch #flexible #flexibility #stretchingroutine #routine #fit #fitlife #fitness #health #mobility #yoga #yogaposes #basic #yogainspiration #getfit #fitnesslife #justdoit #yogalife #fitspiration #fitchick #fitchicks #fitnessgoals #gethealthy #youcandoit https://www.instagram.com/luvfitall/p/BvcyAVYn-U7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=17qktiz7r3txx

[saorsacoaching-blog]

Setting firm boundaries lets others know what we will and will not tolerate. This protects us. If someone doesn't like our boundaries, that is a problem for them to deal with. We don't need to apologise or try to please them. Our limits, however, are the frontiers of our comfort zone. They are for us to test and stretch when we are ready. The more we push our limits, the more we increase our sense of freedom. Nothing holds us back except ourselves. If you could make a small stretch to your limits today, what would it be? #firmboundaries #gainrespect #clearmessage #standfirm #testyourlimits #stretchyourcomfortzone #smallsteps #freedom #thanksforsharingsaorsacoaching https://www.instagram.com/p/BuPhVXjnoSU/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bd0nzf8vy1rd

[terranlamp]

💥💕Do you you settle for Normal? Or do you push yourself to the limit? 💕#normalisboring #pushyourself #stretchyourcomfortzone #motivation #inspiration #terranlamp #turnthepage 💕

[ihrector]

@theanonyms with @sondraverva It was hard to find and totally worth it. #stretchyourcomfortzone #praguenightlife

[iamdesign82-blog]

#dreams #2014 #dreambig #inspire #learn #grow #accomplish #success #stretchyourcomfortzone

[pattimandel-blog]

Success

Rolling into my last semester of my associates degree is weird. I still feel ashamed that it’s taken me 20 years after graduating high school to get here and I also have an enormous amount of pride that I’m accomplishing this goal. While I like to encourage others to celebrate their successes, I’m struggling with doing the same for myself. I believe it’s important to reflect and recognize that you’ve accomplished a goal even when it doesn’t happen to your preferred specifications. That being said, over the past couple weeks I’ve finally taken the initiative to tour some college campuses of schools I’m considering transferring to. This has really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I’m surrounded by new high school graduates and their parents who are experiencing this transition together while I’m navigating it alone and much older. Therefore, with this small success I’ve accomplished on my path I want to remind myself that it’s acceptable to be proud of what I’ve accomplished. It’s acceptable to express this pride without also brushing it off in the same moment. It’s a big deal that all the hard work I’ve put in is going to afford me the opportunity to decide which college is worth my time. 

Attending is a success. Completion is a success. Setting and working on your next steps is a success. Allowing yourself to be human and accepting your accomplishments for what they are is a success. This is a reminder to be more gentle with yourself while on the path to success. 

[givevolunteers]

Find joy in pursuing ways to grow, learning about the world, challenging your perspectives, and making a positive impact. . Looking for some travel and purpose in your life? We’re partnered with some incredibly empowered communities around the world who are excited to welcome our next season of volunteers. Click the link in bio 🔗 to start your journey. . 📷 : @zoedrane #givelaos #givevolunteers #pursueyourpurpose #travelwithpurpose #makeanimpact #stretchyourcomfortzone #traveldifferently (at Ban Sôpchèm, Louangphabang, Laos) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Kp3RLHa1y/?igshid=25e96wh9ff3p

[givevolunteers]

Travel is one of the best ways to invest in yourself; you get to strip the familiar away and decide for yourself who you want to be. . In doing this, you develop a greater self-understanding, and that impacts literally every life decision you’ll make moving forward. . This means those good decisions that you make with better self-understanding will compound and create even more good decisions. 👆 From our new blog today on 7 Ways Travel Makes You Better ...there’s a whole lot more wisdom on the benefits of investing in yourself through travel. Click the link in bio 🔗 to get inspired. . #givevolunteers #investinyourself #learnthroughtravel #travelyoung #exploremore #stretchyourcomfortzone #volunteerabroad #travelwithpurpose (at Lake Manyara National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2kJdATHMTA/?igshid=izzvwzgj7poa

[pattimandel-blog]

Forward

Ok.. Here it is, world. I’m 37 years old and I went back to college full-time to earn my undergraduate degree. There’s plenty about this that is uncomfortable. I’ve been very selecting in who I’ve told this information to because I don’t enjoy having these conversations. On the other hand, I’m very proud and excited to do the work. As it turns out, I’m a very good student regardless what all of my high school teachers said. However, I’m coming to a turning point where I need to work on my “brand”. 

How do I market myself? How do I confidently state where I am in life without down playing these accomplishments? How do I express that I’ll be graduating in a couple years without being shameful that I didn’t do it sooner? I don’t currently have the ability to see what I’m doing as a point of pride. I know that I’ve made the right decision. I also realize that one day I’m going to look back and understand that there was no other path to get me where I’m going that would mean as much to me. I believe that is powerful. 

Have you ever been hungry... Like really hungry? To the point that your body begins showing signs of malnourishment-losing hair, brittle nails, low energy, low cognition. I’ve been hungry before and not because I was denying myself food. I was broke and trying to make the best decision for myself at the time. Once I was able to become more financially secure, I knew I never wanted to be hungry again. Going back to school has given me the same desire; never be hungry again. Maybe it’s those select few who place a different value on what may seem like an everyday achievement. Like the carrot has been dangling in front of them so long that once they get the tiniest window of opportunity, there is no looking back. In my prior attempts at finishing college, the end goal was always so far away I felt like I could never satisfy enough. Now, the end is finally coming into view. I still have a couple years to complete but I want this right now to be the beginning of me taking ownership in the accomplishments that I’ve had. I know I still have a lot to accomplish in life and as I move forward I hope my challenging days are a little less cynical.