Growing our strengths – How To Build A Love Nest

Let me just say this, not all of this project plays to my strengths. A project of this size can’t possibly play to all of my (many! ahem…. ) strengths. In fact, the beauty of this project is that I’m gonna have to grow up some more and develop some new strengths.

I find standing in front of the nice county bureaucrats who are deciding whether or not to give us our permits as they go line by line and make little tics, stomach wrenchingly anxiety producing. I would rather mud wrestle to the death, in a blizzard. Those little middle aged ladies with their sharpened pencils wouldn’t have a chance. But, I guess I don’t get to make the rules. I guess I get to be more patient and practice my most charming but unassuming smile. Mud wrestling to the death sounds way better. Anyways.

Also, I really want to learn about construction and how to do all these things… but power tools scare the bejeezus out of me. I don’t like knives (I literally hide my eyes like a 4-year-old when there are knife fights in movies). I’ve had nightmares about nail guns since watching Die Hard nearly 20 years ago. And I’m an ER nurse, so I’ve seen nails sticking out of eyes and the bad things that happen when people aren’t careful/lucky/sober. (Dealing with these unfortunate bloody people doesn’t bother me, oddly.)

But, I want to be a great construction partner, house builder, and learner. I want that more than I want to be in my comfort zone.

In fact, I spent most of the weekend using a miter saw and cutting up boards for our soon-to-be shed. And used a big ol’ nail gun. And it was even fun eventually. And lots of little 22.5 degree triangles made a kind of nice picture.

What comfort zone are you breaking out of?