I have a new motto that I am trying to live by each day in France. "Do one thing every day that scares you- Eleanor Roosevelt." This is so relevent in my life right now where even routine tasks can be scary. When I think about this quote, it is hard to go a day in France NOT doing something that is intimidating or scary. But whenever I am faced with a difficult situation, one that might not be necessary but could be potentially helpful, and I am searching for courage and confidence, I think about this quote. It means stepping out of my comfortable boundaries, maybe making mistakes, and feeling accomplished afterwards. I would be missing beaucoup de opportunities and experiences if I had not already popped my comfort bubble.
Things this week that were scary (because everything is harder en francais), but I did them anyway:
1. Initiated a conversation (en francais bien sur, assez intimidant) with a student a l'Universite about the class I missed. 2. Went to the phone house alone to recharge my phone and successfully purchased and activated my monthly plan. 3. Hung out with a just a french friend. 4. Got a job tutoring/speaking English to a young girl (and potentially her friend too, j'espere) from an ad posted at IES.
My feelings right now are, if I can live life speaking only french in FRANCE, then I can do anything back home. If I can take classes and study in french, doing it in english will be a breeze. If I can navigate my way around town, tell a boy I did not see his lost dog, and set up a rendez-vous with new french amis, then everything will be ten times easier when I return home.
There comes a time when you must forget your pride and just live life as it comes at you- Grab every opportunity, open your own doors, and walk in a path that stretches your comfort zone (even a few inches) each day. With a boost from Eleanor, and knowing that I have nothing to lose and everything to gain, I think I am doing just that.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment