Welcome to the Challenge Zone

At one time, I was terrified to even climb half-way up a ladder to a high ropes course. I remember the first time I tried was in middle school. I was shaking the entire ladder, convinced I was going to fall regardless of how well-connected I was via ropes, carabiners, and harness. I was, to put it succinctly, in crisis. At that moment, no one could have convinced me of my safety. The facilitator tried, and actually (this is not common) pushed me to go up the ladder - literally pushed me! It's a wonder I ever tried a ropes course again.

I had to push myself to not be afraid after my first ropes course crisis until I finally was able to complete a course without shaking like a leaf. It took small steps up the ladder until I could stand on the first platform. It took encouragement from my peers. It took reminding myself to breathe through the fear.

When I was in graduate school working on my master's degree in experiential education, I participated in numerous challenge course trainings and outdoor adventure activities in addition to the wonderful course offerings of my program.  One day, while encountering the ropes yet again, the facilitator for that program used a metaphor that has stuck with me these past nine years: the idea of the challenge zone.

The Challenge Zone (Matt Peterson)

There is nothing earth-shattering about this idea. Essentially, it goes like this:

When we are in our comfort zone, we are just that - comfortable. We brush our teeth, we go about our daily business, we drink our coffee... none of which requires much of us. These activities are habit. They are comfortable. And essentially, when we are comfortable, we do not learn.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the crisis zone. This is the classic fight-flight-freeze space that we find ourselves in when something is so overwhelming to our nervous system that is elicits a fear response. This space is counterproductive to learning and growth, and can actually be mis-educative.

Somewhere between those mundane daily activities and the space of complete and utter crisis is a wide range of activities we refer to as the Challenge Zone. The Challenge Zone is a space where we encounter the unknown, the untested and the unlearned. It is the space where, theoretically, the most growth, learning and development take place. It's definitely not within our comfort zone, but not so extreme as to force us into hyperarousal.

So, this is the Challenge Zone, my personal journey of living in the liminal space between comfort and crisis, my own self-identified learning zone. Staying in the challenge zone is about constantly negotiating between staying in the warm embrace of our comfort zone and hurling ourselves into the abyss of crisis. My goal in doing this is to make the most of this life, to grow to become the best iteration of my own self that I can be, and to cultivate a deeper understanding of myself through relationships, education, practice and (most importantly) making mistakes. I am a higher education administrator, a soon-to-be doctoral student, a teacher, a mentor, a mentee, a friend, a fiancé, a singer and actor, a baker, and a voyager. Keeping all of those things, and so many more, in balance will be a challenge (ha!) but one I am more than excited to encounter.

This is my chosen journey - I hope to see you on the path.