This week I was reminded how important it is to stay outside my comfort zone. The message at church was to consider who we would invite to a party. Things to consider: why invite people to a party, why we don’t invite people (fear of rejection, don’t want to be pushy, etc.), and what we will experience (some rejection but also some acceptance).

The timing of this message was good for me because I just hosted a ladies’ tea party this past weekend. With graduate school consuming most of my free time last summer and fall, I haven’t been very social lately. I felt like I needed to do some PR with my extended family, with whom I have always been very close. I’m not big into entertaining or playing hostess, so hosting this party was outside my comfort zone. Most Saturdays, I would prefer to go out to lunch with my husband, maybe go hiking or do a little shopping, see a movie, and hang out around the house, writing, gardening, baking or crafting.

Getting back to my tea party, I invited my mom and three aunts, a few cousins, and their little girls, who dressed up in their princess dresses (so cute). Everyone accepted my invitation! I made sure to have a simple menu to keep my anxiety in check and to have a short invite list to minimize my stress. The party turned out to be a big success, and I really enjoyed preparing for it and being hostess. (It made difference that my mom was right there by my side!) Best of all, I would host another such party again, and soon!

How does my tea party relate to this week’s message? What does this have to do with my New Year’s Resolution, which is to become more clearly myself? It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone. The challenge is to stay outside your comfort zone. I felt that connected to my resolution because it is a difficult for me to host parties… too much hassle and stress. At times, I find it difficult to be more assertive in expressing myself more outwardly, rather than my usual mode of staying just under the radar.

Hope you find ways to stretch yourself too this week!