Comfort zone

Sometimes the comfort zone only seems comfortable. I mean, really, are you comfortable with the thought of your parents, or you for that matter, living in the institutional model that has dominated long-term care for so long? Would you be comfortable in the place of the elders who live in your organization? Probably not.

And, truth be told, it is probably more of a struggle than a comfort to get elders to “comply” with the way the system runs. “The way things are done” is familiar, but truly, not comfortable. But, if we change “the way things are done” we will have to learn new things, make new routines, pay a bit more attention and grow. Reserve “stuck in your ways” for resisting text messaging, or the order in which you do your waking up routine. Stay true to the way you eat your sweet corn and do your holiday traditions. (Let your family get you to do away with marshmallows on your sweet potatos, that is not my sphere.) But please, use this free download guide to examine your comfort zone and the level of comfort it actually brings you and the elders. Try to be truthful as possible when you answer the questions. No need to share with anyone (unless you want to formally – in a learning circle – or informally). Before you start to answer, take a couple of deep breaths, get yourself to relax and focus. Tell yourself you are honestly going to look at your thoughts and feelings on this issue. If you are the one in your organization shaking things up, use this in team meetings or as a way to introduce culture change to others in your organization.

Whenever I know I need to do something to move out of my “comfort” zone to something that will serve me (and sometimes others) better, I replace my comfort zone with something else of comfort, a nice bath, a new book, cookies....ok, if you could see my thighs you would know that it is usually cookies. But anyway, it is tough, tough work to move on, especially in your job, so it might help to dangle a new comfort “carrot” in front of you. Soon, you will find new comfort in the pride and joy you feel in helping create home for elders.

What are we afraid of?

Last week, Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services Bureau of Quality Assurance held their annual conference in Appleton, WI. In opening remarks, Helene Nelson, Secretary Department of Health and Family Services said something that really struck me: "Our fearfulness about learning needs to be set aside." She of course hit the nail on the head by saying we must overcome our fear, but what got me thinking was the fear itself.

Why are we afraid of learning?

Because we are. I happen to think it has to do with our wanting to be seen as competent adults. When we were young we thought adults knew everything and now, as adults we feel we have to live up to that and also be worthy of being seen as competent in our position, whatever that may be. So, if we were to be open to learning, that would mean we didn't know everything. I hate when someone asks me a grammar question and I don't know the answer. The one thing we do know, of course, is that nobody knows everything. (Aren't we weird that way?)

What do you think? Why are we (collectively) afraid of learning? Why are YOU afraid to learn? Admitting is the first step for change, right? Please share your answers in comments so we can all learn a little about learning. Maybe it will help us set our fear aside.