Modeling - An Outside My Comfort Zone Adventure

It's true. Some people call it stepping outside your comfort zone. Others call it taking risks. No matter what you call it, it's uncomfortable. Most people don't step outside of it because they are content with life as it is. Others do it all the time because they love that rush. I enjoy stepping outside of my comfort zone, not just because the rush of excitement, but because of the challenge that comes with it. That is what today's post is about.

My dear friend Jamie is a bikini competitor. She is working toward her pro card and really is a champion of all things fitness. She was asked to do a photo shoot for some pretty cool fitness gear. Quite honestly, I do not know if this was outside her comfort zone but I'm guessing not since she rocked it out! I went with her to help her change, adjust her clothing, and help her out. Imagine my surprise when she called me the night before and asked how I felt about helping out by shooting the leggings. It turns out that these leggings were a large and since Jamie was a small. My brain said "NO WAY! You have issues with your hips and thighs. You really want someone focusing in on them????!!!" Of course I told her yes, why not.

Why not. The rest of that night I was in shock that I said yes. Some may think "big deal!" But when you come from having issues with weight, low self esteem, and just being uncomfortable with yourself, it IS a big deal.

The next morning, I drove to my friend's studio where the shoot was taking place. It was all set up. Jamie was there and so was the photographer, Kevin. We all chatted and then it became real. "You're up first." I looked around like who are you talking to. But I knew. Deep inside I was so beyond uncomfortable. I went and changed into the first pair of leggings. Bright blue with a leopard print in black and dark blue. (I love them by the way.) Off I went. I followed his instructions and stood where I was told in the positions I was told. He shot pictures of my waist down. I changed a hand full of times wearing camo leggings, snow leopard print, and zebra
print. All the time he was shooting, I was thinking to myself, "What on earth am I doing? This is not my shoot. This is so strange, and uncomfortable." I refused to thing negative though. All the time, I did not once allow myself to think "I'm too fat for this. My thighs and butt are too big. They can see every lump and bump." Had I allowed myself to think that, I would have lost the wonder, excitement, and sense of risk.

Then I was done. It was time for the star of the show. Jamie changed in and out of some cool looking tops and modeled the hell out of them. She rocked the sexy, fierce, badass looks that the photographer was going for. I helped adjust, pin and make sure that she looked great in them. I started to relax and was rocking out to the music playing ( songs like Girls Girls Girls, Pour Some Sugar On Me, and Shook Me All Night Long)

What does this mean? It means step outside your comfort zone. You never know what it will do for you. You may have fun. Or make new connections. Or learn something new about yourself. Or you may learn it is not for you. And that is ok. So try new thing and push yourself outside that comfort zone and see what grows!