Where the Magic Happens

by PJ Roup, 33˚, Editor, Active for Pennsylvania

If there’s one thing that living in a global pandemic has taught me, it’s that there is no longer such a concept as normal. One minute, I was living what I thought of as normal life. The next, I was shut off from the world. And so were each of you. More than three years later, I can almost convince myself that it was all a bad dream, a figment of my sometimes toovivid imagination.

An unexpected, but fortunate, side effect of being locked down was that all of us were forced to step outside of our comfort zones. I’m not referring to those first tentative and anxiety-filled trips to the grocery store, but rather how we were going to feed the social side of ourselves from a distance. Your Scottish Rite, for example, led the way with Virtual Reunions followed by Thursday Night at the Rite, which just wrapped its fourth season.

Comfort zones are safe. I suppose that’s why they are called “comfort zones.” Sometimes, though, they act as pens— prison cells that keep us chained to the familiar. But when you summon the courage to break down those walls and step outside, you can experience the extraordinary.

It can be unnerving, if not downright terrifying, to try something new. This month’s feature (“You’ve Got to Move Your Feet,” p. 22) tells the story of Brother Chase Wilhelm who answered the call to help others by traveling to Poland to rescue Ukrainian refugees. Was it an easy decision for him? No, but he doesn’t regret one minute of it. You see, stepping into the unknown can often help you live your true purpose.

Not everyone can (or should) aspire to what Brother Chase did, but there are several ways of leaving your comfort zone without entering a war zone. In fact, you can do it without setting foot outside your Valley.

There is a Venn diagram that appears in many motivational talks that shows two circles with no overlap. The small one is labeled Your comfort zone, the larger, Where the magic happens. If you aren’t familiar with Venn diagrams, each circle represents a certain activity, location, or circumstance. Where two or more of them overlap, there is a new label for the situation or circumstance created by the intersection of the other two. The message? The magic can’t happen in your comfort zone.

Entrepreneur Scott Belsky writes, “The magic happens when you find the sweet spot where your genuine interests, skills, and opportunity intersect.” We are about to begin a new Scottish Rite year. Perhaps the last one was a comfortable one for you. You didn’t learn a new part, chose not to enter the officer line, or declined a committee appointment. What if this coming year was different? What if you said yes to one or more of those challenges that you didn’t think you were ready for? One where your interests, skills, and opportunity intersect? You just might:

Learn something new. Freemasons are on a constant quest for knowledge. As a Scottish Rite Mason, you are already a student in the College of Freemasonry. As you venture into the unknown, you might realize that you have a talent for some of the things that terrified you. Maybe you’re a better actor than you thought. Perhaps you have a talent for fundraising, leading, or any other of the host of opportunities that your Valley provides.

Face your fears. I get it: Putting yourself out there for others to judge is difficult. What if you forget your lines on stage? What if you disappoint your Brothers, fail to reach a goal, or [gasp] aren’t perfect at something the first time? Well, you know what? You tried. You explored something that held you back, and you learned from it. You’ll either do better next time, or do something else next time. Either way, you’ve expanded your old comfort zone.

Adapt to challenges. That little part you took in the 4th degree? You nailed it. It felt right, and you got positive feedback. Take a bigger role at the next reunion. The fundraising goal you set? You smashed it. Reach farther next time.

Most of the time, the only thing that holds us back from achieving greatness is the voice inside that whispers (or yells) that we aren’t good enough. So unlock the cell of the comfort zone that has been holding you back. Cross the barren wasteland of doubt and fear that has kept you from living … where the magic happens.