Hi Reader Welcome back,

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Last month was about identifying words with "RE" that you were experiencing. I tasked you finding a journal or an app on your phone that will allow you to list your top "RE" words that best connected with your current situation. ​
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Were you able to create the list? If not feel free to work on it now. Hope you are ready for this months letter, I am truly excited about this letter because it involves bringing you ideas, tips, resources, and so much more.

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Letter #6

This month’s letter is about comfort and being comfortable. Before I share why let me share with you the definition of both.

• A state of ease or alleviation of a person’s feelings of grief or distress.
• To give strength and hope.
• To console.
• Encouraging serenity, well-being or complacency as well as physical ease.
• Enjoying or providing a position of contentment and security.
• Feeling relaxed, secure, and adequate.

How does this make you feel? What does it make you feel?

You see I love and enjoy being comforted and feeling comfortable. However, this can also turn into a struggle and impact your long-term goals. You might ask, why? Let me break it down for you.

>>Comfort

As humans we are naturally drawn to be comforted. Being comforted has been associated as a form of expediting our healing process, be it physical or emotional. The difficulty arises when we rely too heavily on others for comfort, or when we expect it.

What happens when we become dependent on being comforted by others and the time comes when you find yourself alone and unsupported? If you have experienced this, how does this make you feel?

I have personally experienced this and battled with it for many years until I had to forcefully change my perspective about finding comfort in someone else. Don’t get me wrong, I love hugs and being comforted, but not to the point that I am dependent on it. Over the past 8 years I have been focusing on my inner self-care and redefining what “comfort” means to me and how I can feel good with things I do versus waiting. Ok full confession, I am a spa diva. I love massages and this is something I can control on how much, how long, and how elevated of an experience I want. So, it can be a 1-hour massage or a full-service experience. When I travel, this is a must do, schedule my spa time because it’s what brings me comfort. This is just one of many things I love to do to feel comforted.

>>Being comfortable.

Who doesn’t like to feel comfortable? The struggle comes in when we get tooooooooooooooo comfortable. It tends to hold us back from progress. Does that sound familiar?

Even though feeling comfortable builds confidence, being too comfortable can stand in the way of progress? Are you familiar with the saying, “stepping out of your comfort zone or box?”

What is a comfort zone/box? It’s a place, situation or level where someone feels confident and comfortable. It’s a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person and they are at ease and in control of their environment, experiencing low levels of anxiety and stress.

There is nothing wrong with this, but is it stopping you from achieving your goals?

Here are a few of effects of staying inside of the comfort zone/box for too long:

• You become complacent.
• You might not walk into the places where you can gain knowledge or learn new skills.
• You are not at risk but there is no reward either.
• You can be missing an opportunities.
• You can have difficulties coping with change.

So now that I have identified each of these words, it's time to review the feelings you have noted along the way. Allow yourself a moment to embrace those feelings. How does it feel? If you feel like it's holding you back from achieving your goals, what are you going to do to move ahead?

Till the next month.

Love, Hugs, and Kisses. xoxo

P.S. While I will not be back until next month, we can meet every week on my podcast or follow my journey via my Instagrams on @JV_NextLevel @LEBJV ​@ClassyJV ​@InspiredbyJacqueline​

P.S.S. Letter Archives: If you have missed the other letters, here's a cool feature I have created for you. The ARCHIVES https://www.catalystbridgeagency.com/monthly-letter-archive​

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Love, Hugs, and Kisses. xoxo

Jacqueline