Turn left. Turn right.

I had dropped my son off at school along Bukit Timah when I decided to turn on my Global Positioning System (GPS) device to see if would bring me along the normal route that I've been using. 

 All was well when it directed me to go down Sixth Avenue. I was enjoying my GPS!.. then disaster struck.  At the end of the road, the GPS flashed me to turn left.

But But... I ALWAYS turn right.  I still had time to decide before I reached the end of the road. I looked furtively at the device, hoping in some way that it would change its instructions... but no. Turn left? Or right? Do I choose to ignore it?

 In the end, I turned left... and duly rewarded with a new route which took me 15 minutes, instead of the 30 minutes I normally took.

The "incident" (as I now call it) caused me to realize something... that I was a creature of habit.  Throw something in my path, and I would go for the path that I've always taken, no matter if it takes longer. It's familiar... and comforting.  When the device showed me a path different from the norm, it pushed me out of the comfort zone and I was surprised how much discomfort something insignificant like that caused me. And when I chose to try something new, I discovered something better.

 I am sure our children go through the same things we do.  It is a fact that all children need routine to give them security and comfort and yet too much of this security keeps them in the comfort zone.  They don't learn to stretch and move through life on auto-pilot mode.  A change in environment and routine may be just what it takes to stimulate them to further growth.

Much has been said about creativity, and how it's important to cultivate it.  Classes and university courses have been set up to "teach" creativity.  May be the answer is to simply turn left, sometimes.

Comments (2)

Chuck: Stepping out of comfort zone

Yea...we have this tendency to slip into a pattern, to avoid thinking, to cope with increasing complexity of life. But like a kaleidoscope, good to disrupt our set pattern every now and then to see what happens. If something not so good is experienced, there's another opportunity to learn from it. But easier said than done

1

September 21

Bing: When to turn on the GPS?

You need to first decide to switch on the GPS to 'test' your normal route.
Question - how many of us stop to question the comfort zone unless something unpleasant happens?
More question - how many parents will take a chance to disturb the kid's comfort zone to stimulate growth?
Hint - let the child wash the plates after dinner. How about replacing the air con with fan only?

2

September 26