Piggy Backing on The Brave Project with English 10

Reading Lynne Herr's blogs about being brave and venturing out of her comfort zone made me take a personal inventory of the things that would push me out of my own comfort zone...and that is where I stopped.  I stopped with the idea in my head and a notion that hey it might be fun to try something like this on my own smaller scale. Then I stopped.  I got busy with other things and stopped thinking about being brave.  It is much easier that way!

And now I am starting.  I listened to Lynne speak to Mr. Tobey's class.  I listened to Mr. Tobey challenge his 10th grade class to blog about things they could do to be brave.  I listened and decided to accept the challenge myself, and since I won't be graded I can revise the assignment to meet any criteria and timeline I want.  As soon as I hit publish on this blog, I will try and hold myself accountable to what ever I write.  So I will start with phase one....listing things that would push me out of my comfort zone.  Instead of ten, I will share three things that I can reasonably work on over the next few months.

1. Cooking.   Every year I make the same New Year's Resolution.  My resolution is to be more adventurous in the kitchen.  I say I will try a new meal each week, learn new cooking skills, and get over my fear of asking the grocer what part of that hard to identify vegetable is edible. I want to enjoy cooking instead of feeling like it is a constant chore and my sole responsibility as the primary chef at my house.  My brave plan is to set a goal each month that will help me grow my culinary skills.  My husband and children will be my guiana pigs and my friends and family will be my teachers.  
2.  Slam Poetry.  This will be my biggest personal challenge to overcome.  As a sponsor of the slam poetry team I have very little credibility.  I am not a slam poet; the idea of standing in front of an audience with my own words memorized and flowing from my mouth is terrifying to me.  I struggle with sharing what I write with anyone for fear of judgement, let alone perform. Writing this is a little intimidating...but the students on the slam poetry team inspire me.  They can write, and they can perform. They will help me get over my fear and guide me in the process. 
3. Control Freak / Asking for help.  Asking for help is a line I struggle to cross.  I am a control freak.  I want things done just so...and who can do those things better than me?  It is that attitude that sometimes overwhelms me.  The worst part is is when I am feeling overwhelmed, I want the people closest to me to understand why without me telling them.  That is unreasonable.  I have a capable husband at home who is more than willing to take on some of the responsibilities I make my own, but he cannot read my mind.  I have kids who are old enough to have responsibilities. I have coworkers who know way more than me about so  many things, and they are so willing to teach their peers as much as they are to teach their students; therefore, when I need help I should ask for it. 

Some other things I want to be braver with in my work life and personal life include learning new technologies, not being a pushover with the rules,  and not being afraid to take exercise classes where coordination is needed.  I want to tackle my fear of white water rafting and climb a rock wall.  I want to make time to volunteer.  I want to fall in love with a puppy instead of hoping it will hop on someone else's lap.  

None of the things on my list are that hard, but they will take time, effort, and sometimes bravery to move forward.  Let the journey begin....