Are you comfortable with stepping outside of your comfort zone? The practical side locks us into what is safe and easy. Think about your approach to seeing a new doctor, traveling to a new place, trying a new job, or learning a new profession.
Do you approach new things with fear and trepidation or joy and confidence? Where does your confidence come from? Do the people around you help or hinder you? Are you empowered from a deep faith? Are you secure in your own talents and education?
So much of how we approach life begins in the early years with our parents or care givers. We may start out adventuresome and get stymied along the way. Our genetic makeup certainly chimes in as to how we react. As adults we are often set in our ways and don’t branch out into new territories unless we are pushed. Some people feel they can go the road alone; they do not feel a community around them is a big help at all!
I watch a dog that resides across the street from us. He sits under the trees and looks like a statue as he keeps an eye on the squirrels above. He will keep watch fearlessly as if it is his duty. Unlike this dog, we are not all that patient. We do not see things clearly. We are not provided for with our housing and food, nor do we have a “dogs life” of leisure. Our goals need to be defined.
Pathways lead us to new and exciting places. Sometimes they are smooth and easy to navigate; other times they are merely places to step. Where they take us is unknown. As a child walking a mile to school each day, I’d play games hopping over the grooves, reading the engraved signatures of the cement company, or counting my steps. I knew the path took me to a destination. 
Life creates pathways we do not always appreciate. We forge ahead through obstacles like health issues or loss of family members. Our jobs are eliminated without sufficient warning causing us to panic. There are the unexpected expenses that come from hikes in taxes, cracked septic fields, broken appliances, or the medical costs of a broken leg.
The direction of where we step next becomes unknown. There are times when we feel ourselves going in circles. We do the same chores repeatedly, visit the same stores, make the same appointments and feel unappreciated. So, who can help you break the cycle of feeling this way? Or do you like the familiarity of routine too much to leave it? There is a good and bad side to everything!
Thanks to the windows of opportunity that come along the way, we are able to rebound. Recovery comes along with advancements in careers, money from inheritances, information from the internet, or a professional that can direct us into a new direction. Sometimes a prayer is answered in an unexpected way and the sun shines into our lives. Those times are so relished and we need to recognize them and give thanks. Those are among the mini miracles that come to us. Give thanks!
“Asking for help is wisdom, not weakness!” Knowing who and how to ask is a learned skill. We need to do that with prudence.