Step Out of Your Comfort Zone by Dora Hiers

Hi everybody! Terri and I are swapping spots again today. She'll be back on Thursday, July 23. Meanwhile, I hope you're encouraged and inspired to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone! :)




It may come as a surprise to you, but I’m a routine kinda gal. I eat the same cereal for breakfast and wake up and go to bed every day about the same time. Wait staff from our favorite restaurants don’t bother asking for my order; they just confirm it. I write only from my quiet office and take breaks in regular intervals. Interruptions throw me off kilter, and it takes a while to regain my balance.

But being a writer is slowly eroding my routine. That, or my husband is. :)

He’s always testing the boundaries of my comfort zone. He prodded me to write my first book and encouraged this shy introvert to join a writers group. When our local librarian invited me to address their readers, hubby rattled off a list of possible topics and practically shoved me into the public speaking arena when I would have been perfectly content to hide out in the obscurity of my office, pecking away at my laptop. Eventually, readers would find my stories, right?

Now, he’s at it again. Prodding me to expand my horizons. Travel. Food. Where does it stop?

Three years ago, he convinced me that a European cruise was cheaper than some of our US vacations, and we’ve cruised there every year since. We’ve craned our necks to stare up at the Eiffel Tower, climbed the Colosseum in Rome, and explored ancient walled cities in Tuscany and volcanoes in Iceland. We devoured pizza in Belfast, gobbled down granitas and cannoli’s in Sicily, guzzled espresso in Barcelona, and tasted authentic fish and chips in London.

And you know what? I actually enjoyed it. Not necessarily every new meal or city, but the experience. He doesn’t have to sell me on it anymore. When he mentions a cruise, I’m totally on board. :)

We all need someone like that, don’t we? A friend or spouse to push us to achieve more, to reach for our dreams, to fill a hole with something that we’re passionate about, or to force us to face our fears. For me, it's usually fear of the unknown.

What are you afraid of? 

Join that writers group. Attend a writers conference. Write the story that's burning in your heart. Submit it to publishers or agents. What's the worst that could happen? Is a rejection letter really that bad? Conversely, what's the best that could happen? A published book? Landing your dream agent?

Embrace life. Surround yourself with people who love you enough to shove you out of your comfort zone. Give your dreams wings to become reality and discover yourself.

Just wait until hubby starts messing with my bedtime. Or leaving brochures for Antarctica on the kitchen counter… :)

Who shoves you out of your comfort zone? 

Name your fear. How did you try to overcome it?

“Risk, then, is not just part of life. It is life. The place between your comfort zone and your dream is where life takes place. It's the high-anxiety zone, but it's also where you discover who you are.” ~Nick Vujicic

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Burn survivor Savvy McCord doesn't blame her best friend for running away. She can't even look at her scars without wincing. When Beck's disappearing act spans years, she relinquishes dreams of love and marriage. Unable to face Savvy's expectations of happily-ever-after, Beck Harmon deserts her, far away from the rumors that he's just like his father. When the wanderer returns, dreams of forever blossom in Savvy's heart, but she worries he'll leave again. Can Beck convince Savvy that her true beauty comes from her inner strength and faith? Will his idea to help burn victims regain their self-confidence restore Savvy's trust in him? Will love be what the wanderer needs to find peace for his hurting soul?

Dora Hiers

Dora Hiers is a multi-published author of Heart Racing, God-Gracing romances. She’s a member of RWA and her local chapter, Carolina Romance Writers. Connect with her on Seriously Write, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

Shaking Things Up

Me

Today's post is a little different from normal. But that's OK. Sometimes we need to shake things up a bit. At least, that's what my hubby tells me when he tries to convince me to venture out of my comfort zone. As I've shared in the past, I tend to be a bit obsessive about things...like eating in the same six or seven favorite restaurants for lunch or at the same time every day. Or even writing in the same spot, day in and day out, without varying my environment. 

So that's what we're doing. We're shaking things up a bit. You see, I'm not posting on a particular writing topic. I don't have any guest bloggers lined up. Today we'll talk about encouragement and I will introduce you to one of the most encouraging people I know.

Our goal, our mission, here at Seriously Write is to encourage and equip Christian writers along their writing journey. I've been encouraged by so many writers willing to share their journey to publication and their testimony, haven't you? Some writers have struggled for decades to attain a contract, others not so long. But the truth is...

We all need encouragement, don't we? Whether it's a spouse who insists we shake things up occasionally, or a friend to offer inspiring words when we're feeling a little down, when this writing road seems too long and lonely and we're considering chunking it all. Or when we just received what feels like the hundredth rejection letter and we aren't sure if we have it in us to keep putting our precious words out there, to keep setting ourselves up for one more "Thanks, but we don't have room for your book in our lineup" emails.

Every writer needs an encourager, cheering them on. Someone they can depend on to lift their spirits whenever they pop over to see them, whether that's just a quick visit to their blog or over conversation or coffee. It may be a smiling face, someone God plants in your path at the particular moment when you don't feel there's much to smile about. Or a kind deed that comes out of nowhere, unexpected and unrequested. 

God has blessed me with so many of these sweet friends in my life. Besides my hubby, there's Angie Arndt, Sandy Ardoin, Myra Johnson, and Tanya Hanson, just to name a few that immediately popped into my head. And then there's ....

Susan Tuttle

Can you see my grin? Just thinking of this dear one brings a smile to my face.

Susan was the first brave soul to volunteer to be an influencer for Journey's End, my debut inspirational romance. And, no, I didn't bribe her! lol. She's encouraged me with her reviews, inspired me with her devotionals, and blessed me with our online friendship. Hopefully, one day I'll be able to give her a hug and tell her how much her friendship has meant to me. 

So, it just thrills me to announce that Susan has agreed to become a regular contributor to Seriously Write. Starting next Thursday, 10/3, Susan will begin sharing posts on the first Thursday of each month. Except November, when she'll visit us on the second Thursday, but after that, we'll be in a normal rhythm. I'm so excited to have her join us, and you’re sure to be encouraged by her inspiring, uplifting words. 

But for now, for those of you who haven't met Susan Tuttle, allow me to introduce you to one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet.

Susan Tuttle

Susan Tuttle 

is a homeschooling mom of three who is crazy about coffee, dark chocolate, and words—both reading and writing them. Combine that love of words with her passion for leading women to a life-changing encounter with Christ, and you’ll find her crafting Inspirational Contemporary Romance stories laced with humor, love, and healing transformations. When not cheering on her Ironman hubby, chasing the family dog, or tackling complex math problems to teach her kids (yes, even the third grader), you can catch Susan at her blog, Steps.

If you haven't checked out her blog, Steps, you must visit! Susan, welcome to Seriously Write! We're thrilled that you will be visiting on a regular basis!

We all also need to be encouragers. We each have a journey, a testimony, that someone needs to hear so they won't think they're traveling this road alone. We can smile and lift someone's heart. We can act with kindness and out of love, and in doing so, will ultimately point towards God. 

Who has been your biggest encourager?

How can you be an encourager today?