This week: Rising to the Occasion Edited by: Fyn-dragon  
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Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.~~Neale Donald Walsh
If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.~~John C. Maxwell
You will never improve in life if you're always living on easy street. Strength and progress can be gained if only you just step outside of your comfort zone.~~Dee Waldeck
Sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zones. We have to break the rules. And we have to discover the sensuality of fear. We need to face it, challenge it, dance with it.~~Kyra Davis
As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal.~~Robin Sharma
If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.~~Thomas Jefferson
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Many sources agree that stepping outside of one's comfort zone is essential for progress and a more interesting life. In my last Poetry Newsletter, I challenged writers to step outside that comfort zone, that safe little niche, and to try something that might be very new and different.
I thought it might be fun, different, and possibly spark some great poetry. Was it an easy challenge? No, not really, because it would force a writer to try to approach their writing in a new way. Personally, I think it is a good thing to be challenged. It propels us to do something outside of our norm. This is a positive step. Whether or not we find it a successful one, we won't, can't know until we've tried it. Finding a new way to express oneself is how we grow and progress as writers, as poets. I thought it was a great idea, something fun and new to try, one that folks here would embrace. I was prepared to reward the effort with awardicons, merit badges, and substantial GPS. Seemed only fair when I thought people would be expending an extra effort.
Disappointingly, it was an epic fail.
Only ONE person took that effort, stepped up the plate, and hit a home run! They were willing to try something new and different. They were excited about the idea.
I find it confusing. I am left to wonder why only one person tried. Isn't a part of writing being willing to push boundaries? Often, I will try new prompts on unfamiliar forms even though I dislike my feeling constrained to present my thoughts in a certain way. But nonetheless, I'll try. I may fail, but I will try. I wasn't asking for a specific form, but rather a different way of using our words, our language to express an idea, one that specifically fit the subject matter.
Been pondering on this a while now, but I am not coming up with any easy answers. Nature of the beast?
I am happy that at least one person was inspired to rise to the occasion. Perhaps I shall focus on that, instead.
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Claevyan  announced: challenge accepted.
And met!
Lilli Munster 🦇 ☕  says: Wow! Thank you for the PPC plug and the glowing words for the activity! I can't wait to read all four of the poems the prompt inspired!
Thank you for continuing the challenge!!! |
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Poetry: October 22, 2025 Issue [#13412]
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