“Stepping out of your comfort zone” seems to be the phrase of the decade. We often hear it used when someone is describing what enabled them to make a big move in their lives.

Anyone who has paid any attention to what I have been saying over the past few weeks is fully familiar with my metaphor of life being a journey – a road we are on. Here is another part of that story – there is no final destination. Your drive doesn’t end until you actually run out of gas with no filling station in site

Words are powerful. Often, when we hear that phrase, we associate the concept with robust dialog, succinctly developed prose, or emotionally charged language delivered with passion. Small words – the ones we use in everyday language can equally impact a listener - sometimes in very unintended ways.

Change is one of those things that creates massive anxiety for most people. Be it welcomed, self-initiated change – like accepting a new job, moving to a new city, or becoming a parent - or forced change, such as a new boss, it requires adjustment. No matter the reason, the concept of “change” is something that shifts our anxious brain into overdrive.

Staying curious is about finding opportunities in ways you may not have imagined. It is about keeping your mind open to new approaches or solutions. The mental exercise caused by staying curious makes it stronger and stronger. Unfortunately, sometimes we can get so caught up in our plan, we forget to give our brains what they need to really stretch.

We all want to be successful, and happiness is the ultimate goal of all decisions we make in life. But which comes first, success or happiness? While success is often measured externally or by comparison to others in our lives, happiness is usually a quality of an individual.

Although both concepts are inevitably linked, what does it take to really be happy? Does success always guarantee happiness?

If you are working up to something exciting that you really care about, you don't have to be pushed. The vision pulls you. If you don't know where you're going, you won't know when you've arrived. Check out my video!

Separating habits or judgements from our identity takes intention. I was in the habit of constantly doing something. It helped define who I was – someone who accomplished things and didn’t waste their “free” time. The truth was – it wasn’t serving me. Frankly, it was exhausting as well as depriving me of the time and mind space I needed to really think in the creative, strategic, imaginative way I wanted to.

Most people find it hard to admit when they are wrong. When we make a mistake, have the wrong information, or miss something we should have seen, our immediate reaction is to deflect it. Admitting you are wrong can be the very thing that makes you so much more right in the long run.

By shifting our mindset, we can find joy in what is familiar.

It is easy to go back to old habits as we transition out of lockdown. Is that in your best interest? How do you prevent the wave of familiarity from taking you where you don’t want to go?

As you prepare to move out of quarantine reflecting on the things you have learned through this process is critical. It is easy to just go back to what was if we aren’t purposeful. What will you bring with you out of quarantine?