One of the most noteworthy things about this new phase of life is discovering how much I must force myself out of my comfort zone. I’ve always done this to an extent, but I could always count on paid employment to do the rest, especially my last gig.

Now I must make myself do the hard things. What are these “hard things”? Don’t laugh. Driving home on narrow country roads in the dark so that I can be with a bunch of people I work with but almost never see. (See yesterday’s post.) Practicing finger exercises and learning new piano pieces s-l-o-w-l-y because otherwise I won’t learn them at all. Taking tough classes. Making new friends. Forging new trails. 

The key word here is new. It’s not always easy but it’s almost always worth it.