Have you had that feeling like you are right on the precipice of something both scary and amazing? In herb school, one of my favorite instructors, and one of the smartest clinicians I know told us that, “Healing happens right at the edge of your comfort zone.” At the time, I wasn’t totally sure what she meant, and I thought it sounded kind of scary.
And well, it is a little bit scary. As I’ve moved deeper into my own healing journey, and moved through the healing space with my clients, I’ve come to know that healing happens right on the edge of safety and panic. Growth, in all of its forms requires a bit of discomfort. Remember those growing pains you had when you were 11 years old, and how badly your legs hurt? The same happens emotionally and at can happen at all ages.
I recently learned about a man named Karl Rohnke who was a pioneer in the field of adventure education. He developed a model called the Comfort-Stretch-Panic model. The general theory is that people actually preform better, learn more and grow faster in the stretch zone. You’ve probably felt it before. In this zone you are trying something new, unknown and challenging. BUT, it’s not so new unknown or challenging that it causes fear or overwhelm (panic zone). In the stretch zone you feel energized, excited and motivated. This is the growth zone!
What I see in clients, and in myself is the tendency to want to stay in the comfort zone. Let’s be real, I think most people prefer this zone. We feel safe here. However, this safety can lead to complacency, stagnation and boredom. Personally, I know I spend a lot of time here, especially recently. AND, when I, or someone who loves me, pushes me into the Stretch zone, I always am better for it, even if it makes me uncomfortable at first. This past February I was hired at a local apothecary in town and I could not be more stoked! At the same time, every shift, even now, pushes me close to the edge of my stretch zone. I’m out of my comfort zone, but in the best way possible. I’m learning more and learning faster than I have in, what feels like, years. It’s challenging and incredibly exciting!
So, what I’m really trying to say is that if you’ve been feeling stuck in your healing journey, where can you stretch yourself? Healing can be scary. Like really fucking scary. And, it’s always worth it. You don’t need to stretch so far that you find yourself in the panic zone, but I do encourage you to find that edge. Can you find the place where you are both calm and challenged? Excited and a bit scared? In exchange for a short period of discomfort, you’ll find yourself better off because of it.