As the Festival of Wellbeing blooms here at King’s High, it provides us all with an opportunity to try out things that are new. As events unfold around us that may be unknown or unfamiliar, we are often faced with choice: do I stay safe and remain on the sidelines watching the fun from over here… or do I take a deep breath, step towards it, and join in?
Our comfort zone feels nice. So it should as we have built it to sustain our feelings of being safe and unchallenged. It has firm, deliberate edges and allows us to feel protected. However, so often joy lies just on the outside of it; we can see it but not quite reach it. We can get stuck in a habit of saying “no” as we may feel shy, silly, vulnerable, or unsure of the outcomes. Joining in can mean taking a risk. But when we lean in towards that measured risk, we may just stumble on something amazing that we didn’t even know we were missing.
This week has been about the joy of joining in: with dancing, with playing, with hula-hooping, with creating and with the community spirit of togetherness. Next time you are tempted to remain on the sidelines and watch from afar, check in with yourself about how joining in could feel and the joy of being a part of something lovely.
