One of the hardest things to do is to go outside of your comfort zone, or box, as I like to call it. We humans like our comfortable settings, and it can be so, so difficult to break through that wall and push ourselves into something new. It’s hard. It’s even harder to get your kids to do it.
Turbo is definitely an extrovert. I mean, the kid knows EVERYONE. She’s not shy, or reserved, or timid about anything…except for being in the spotlight. She doesn’t get stage fright or anything like that, she just hates being the focal point for a lot of people. This week, she has been stressing out because she has been asked to “perform” in one way or another for three separate events, and she hates that kind of thing.
I told her she should be flattered. I told her that people ask her to perform in front of others because she is so good at what she does. I told her she had to get over it, and the best way to get over it is to just do it. So, today she played the piano at her church, and she agreed to perform in the event her yoga teacher is putting on in a couple of weeks, so she has been practicing for that. She also has a piano recital this week. I told her I was so proud of her for getting out of her box, and while she still doesn’t love it, she isn’t as intimidated by it anymore.
After church she decided she wanted to head to the hill. Since getting out of her box is the current theme at our house, she decided on her own to run with it and took out a snowboard instead of her skis. I was floored.
Turbo is a really good skier. We had her on skis for the first time when she was only 17 months old, so she doesn’t remember a time when she couldn’t tear down the mountain and jump off of everything in sight. She LOVES to ski. She loves to go as fast as she can (and she goes FAST), and she is a “mean carver” as described by her race team coach. The girl can rip. So, for her to set the skis aside today and go with a snowboard was amazing. The last time we tried to get her on a snowboard was awful. I mean, I get it…when you’re a kid, why would you want to spend a day doing something you suck at when you know that you could be doing something that you’re AWESOME at, you know? But, she did it today. She spent all afternoon on a snowboard, and she said she enjoyed it. She said she wants to do it again. Josh and I each do both skiing and snowboarding so I always assumed she would do both as well, and now it looks like she will. She got out of her box, and she found her confidence at being able to learn and do new things.
I’m going to take her out for ice cream tonight to celebrate. What flavor? Chocolate Fudge Brownie. It’s what she always gets, and when it comes to ice cream, even I know that you just don’t go outside of your box. Ever.
Happy Trails,
Laura
