saving my life: comfort zones + the color run.

I ran out of time to post about what was saving my life last week, which is unfortunate, because I know exactly what I would have written.

What saved my life last week was stepping outside of my comfort zone and doing things I didn't necessarily think I'd ever do. Near the top of the list? Running a 5k. So the weekend before Easter, Jordan and I met up with three of our friends, piled into his car, and headed up to Atlanta to join in The Color Run, a 5k with a focus on fun, not speed.

If I have the cheesiest, biggest, abnormally-wide grin you've ever seen in the above photos, know this: It's completely genuine. Being pelted with paint as you jog along the streets of Atlanta has that effect on a person.

The Color Run isn't necessarily a race for serious runners. (A fact I think should be obvious since you're pelted with paint every kilometer.) Instead, it's more about gathering together with friends and strangers and having a good time. I think our faces show that purpose was certainly met.

Here's what I'm learning: Sometimes, it's good to stay in your comfort zone. You have those zones for a reason. By the time you're in your mid-20s, you understand better who you are and who you want to be. Sometimes, it's good to listen to the voice inside of you begging for attention, begging to be heard above the fray. It's good to know what would upset us or challenge us or make us happy. It's okay, I think, sometimes, to be comfortable, especially when that comfort looks a lot like contentment.

But it's good, too, to occasionally step outside the box, to do things you'd never really do otherwise. It's good to be brave, to take chances, and to do something just a little different from your norm.

As a general rule, I don't run. I also don't make a habit of getting colored cornstarch thrown in my face.

But for one Saturday, I broke both of those rules. I'm really glad I did. I think, sometimes, breaking the rules looks a lot like saving your life.