Challenge Zone

Fifth Grade Camp was great!  I just got back to Zeeland about half an hour ago.  This year was our first year at a new camp.  There were quite a few things I miss from previous years, but I had a really good time and there were a lot activities that stretched both the kids and me.  One theme that was repeated quite often throughout the camp was that of finding your challenge zone.  There are three zones: comfort zone, challenge zone, and panic zone.  None of the kids were forced to do anything they didn't want to, but they were all strongly encouraged to stretch themselves by putting themselves in their challenge zones in different activities.  It was great, so many of them were able to do things that they didn't think they could do.  It was difficult, but they did it.

Throughout camp, I kept finding myself thinking about my struggle with weight.  Often these thoughts were brought on by finding myself either self-conscious during and activity because of my size, or unable to do activities because of my weight and fitness level.  It was hard.  It is not fun to see people doing things that I very much want to do, but can't.  It is also not fun being the largest person in a group and having obvious challenges because of it.  But you know, I did a few things that were difficult for me, and I'm glad I did.  I definitely brought myself into my challenge zone, and I grew from the experience.  The kids were great, by the way.  Just as I had encouraged and supported them through the activities, they encouraged and supported me.  What a great experience!  As for the things that I couldn't do, I kept finding myself motivation to lose weight increased with each one.  In the past when I came to something I couldn't do, I would often get frustrated or depressed.  I will be honest, there was a little of that this time, but there was something else as well.  There was this hope that maybe next year will be different.  Maybe next year I can come and be a counselor at fifth grade camp again and maybe next year I'll be able to do some of those things that I wasn't able to this year.  That's what I'm going to focus on.  I'm going to challenge myself, and it won't be easy, but who knows, maybe I'll be able to do something that I never thought was possible.