Saturday, November 9, 2013

Things I Learned from My Mom - Part II - Leave Your Comfort Zone to Grow

Today's post is on the need for change to achieve growth.

My mom grew up and spent her entire childhood on a farm in West, Texas.  Population ~2000.  As a child she told me there were times where they did not have indoor bathrooms.  In central Texas, she grew up without air conditioning.  For those of you who know Texas, that is a frightening thought, especially in August.

My mother left the safety of this bubble (small town, family farm) to move to Houston, "the big city".  She had very little money and only a few years of community college.  I was born in Houston because my mom wanted me to have more opportunities to be successful.  She wanted to have different experiences for herself as well.

West, Texas is still a small community.  There is a small community of people to interact with.  There are a lot of great things about living in a small town like West.  But, in Houston, I grew up with people of many different races and ideals - different ones from the small town.  I was exposed to computer software and developed my skills and had others to interact with.

I know my life would be different if my mom had stayed in West.

The biggest thing I learned from all of this is that you have to be willing to make changes, significant changes, if you want to grow.  It may mean living somewhere new, finding new experiences, and meeting new people.  Get outside your comfort zone.

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