On Saturday's flight home from Leadershape, I made a list of fourteen topics I could blog about over the next couple of weeks; fourteen lessons I learned about shining due to my six days at Leadershape.

And then I realized Number Fifteen and perhaps the most important of all:

Increase your Shine Quotient by involving yourself in things that are either unfamiliar or outside your comfort zone.  Put another way, it is one of the greatest pieces of advice I ever received: "Do something every day that scares you."

Committing to facilitate Leadershape is one of the scariest decisions I make all year.  Saying,"yes" is like saying: "I believe I teach 54 students I have never met and successfully occupy more than 90 hours of their time."

Introverted by nature, for one week I become extroverted, happily engaging students in conversations about where they are from, how they decided on their majors, and what their visions are for making the world a better place.  I will be forced to dance when I have absolutely no rhythm; forced to sing when I am the epitome of tone deaf; and forced to learn the latest college lingo, most of which leaves me blushing.

I do it, because participating makes me better.  Being outside my comfort zone for the week that I am at Leadershape makes me flex muscles that would otherwise atrophy.  It requires enthusiasm, discipline, generosity, self-awareness, vulnerability, a willingness to serve, and more.  All qualities we observe in those who shine.

Above all else, being outside my comfort zone makes me confident I can do it again.

How about you?  What is something new and unfamiliar you would like to do, but just can't seem to muster up the courage to try?  Maybe telling the rest of us is your first step.  Visit us in the Community Forum labeled, Today's Post and share.

Shining off until tomorrow...