The B-Roll #2

This is the second edition of my weekly newsletter, The B-Roll. Thank you for coming along for the ride.

Hey sunshine,When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone? I don't mean break it all down and do something completely life altering. When it comes to our comfort zones, it's not about grand gestures like jumping out of planes or moving to a completely unknown country*. It's about redefining the boundaries as we evolve and decide on adjustments to our lives to reflect what matters the most to us. There is nothing wrong with having a comfort zone. It's your safe space. In a world of uncertainty, we all need to have an established foundation to help us feel grounded when things get chaotic.But it's also important to get a little uncomfortable once in a while because that's when we grow. I don't know about you but I always thought that I had to all of my growth in my teens and 20s and by the time I got to my 30s, I should be...well, grown. But that's not how it works nor should it be. As humans, we have unlimited capacity for growth in ways we don't always associate with it because they don't feel like major breakthroughs. Stepping out of your comfort zone can be as simple as only using an exclamation point in your professional emails when you feel the need, not adjusting the count based on how you think you'll be perceived. Sorry, did that make you uncomfortable?

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"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." We've all seen this quote, right? I think it's absolutely bullshit because it discounts everything you've accomplished in your life and what matters within that comfort zone. Some people think of the comfort zone as being in a rut. It's not. It's the space where you are mentally and emotionally at peace so that you can keep showing up to face the challenges outside of it.Let's face it, these past 18 months alone have even infiltrated our comfort zones. Our routines got completely fucked up. The simple things became difficult and the mental exhaustion alone has caused havoc on everything.I'm sure you've seen the word "languishing" floating around. "Languishing is a sense of stagnation and emptiness. It feels as if you’re muddling through your days, looking at your life through a foggy windshield. And it might be the dominant emotion of 2021."This NYT article goes deeper into it but the point relevant to my train of thought in this letter is this:"The pandemic was a big loss. To transcend languishing, try starting with small wins, like the tiny triumph of figuring out a whodunit or the rush of playing a seven-letter word. One of the clearest paths to flow is a just-manageable difficulty: a challenge that stretches your skills and heightens your resolve."

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The small wins examples in this article are great but for me, it was even more basic than that. Putting the dishes away before going to bed. Taking laundry out of the dryer and folding it. Taking my meds every day at the same time. Drinking water. Feeding myself.My comfort zone was torn to pieces by the pandemic and I have been slowly rebuilding it, and now I am even beginning to move the boundaries. Expressing myself through the written word has been the foundation of my comfort zone for as long as I can remember. But I want to show up differently. Professionally, my growth has come in the form of speaking at industry conferences and in my daily life, showing up with honesty to my team. Personally, I recorded a short video to share a point my therapist made instead of just writing it in the caption of a picture. I am a few months away from turning 37 years old, and I continue to grow. Some days, that growth is simply drinking water and consuming something more than coffee by 5 PM.

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So, how have you redefined your comfort zone? What is something you can do to step out of it when you have the energy to do so? Hit reply any time to share that with me. 

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LANGUAGE CORNER: Today's Turkish expression won't redefine any emojis.

"Ufak at da civcivler yesin" literally translates to "Throw small bites so chicks can eat it."It's what we say when we can tell someone is exaggerating or trying to fool us. An equivalent idiom in English is "Yeah, and I'm the queen of England." 

SHARING CORNER: Just a few recommendations from my desk to yours

Philosophers of Babel 

An incredibly interesting read about the

The Dictionary of Untranslatables

. If you find language and history even remotely interesting, you'll enjoy this one.

The Noun Project

 Collection of a global visual language that unites us — a language that allows quick and easy communication no matter who you are or where you are.

Letterloop 

This is something I discovered when I was in Turkey last year when it first launched. It's an easy way to create a private newsletter with small groups without relying on group chats on texts or social network platforms. 

The Space Mask 

This is the mask I've been recommending to everyone for the past year. I've worn it on translantic flights and walking uphill in humidity. They have teen and kid sizes as well.

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Thanks for reading this far, friend. As with everything in life, this will be a work-in-progress and you can always hit "Reply" to give me feedback, commentary, or your thoughts on the topic of the letter.Until next time, I wish you a sane and healthy week.With love,