For me, it was on a chilly February morning in 2012. The day had started so well. A cup of steaming, fragrant chai; a fascinating ride through cars, scooters, and bicycles jockeying for space on the clogged streets of New Delhi; and the slow opening of the wrought iron gates as the Cross-Cultural Solutions SUV slipped into a leafy enclave of trees and flowers.

As soon as I stepped onto the freshly washed asphalt and heard the sounds of clanging metal and nonsensical yelling ricocheting off the walls of the building’s inner courtyard, my pulse quickened and sweat gathered under the arms of my new Indian style tunic.

My tour guide for the day — a veteran volunteer at Mother Teresa’s — signaled for me to follow her and like a reluctant teenager, I buried my hands deep in the pockets of my raincoat while I watched her dispense hugs. She called out “Namaste” as she greeted women without limbs; women with drool on their shirts; and women with the blank stares.

What if I can’t do this, I thought? What if I can’t spend the next three weeks volunteering at Mother Teresa’s Home for the Dying & the Destitute? What if working with these women – all abandoned because of their mental or physical handicaps – is too much for me?

How Might You Expand Your Perspective?

Stepping out of our comfort zones is uncomfortable. It seems obvious, doesn’t it? And yet, for so many of us, we wish we could fast-forward to the growth and skip the messy, vulnerability-inducing learning that comes from finding yourself in a country where you can’t speak the language or, perhaps, volunteering in a capacity that is new to you. But, what if you could let yourself off the hook for thinking you must be the perfect volunteer or to embark on any new endeavor in your life perfectly?

For me, volunteering has become one of the quickest ways I’ve found to change my perspective. The minute I step into a volunteer role, I can see the challenges in my life in a much wider context. I feel the joy of connecting with others and always leave with a renewed sense of possibility and purpose. But, as the passage from my time in India in 2012 demonstrates, it’s not always easy. For many of us, volunteering or stepping out of our comfort zones in any way challenges us to come to grips with our humanity, our preconceived notions, and our vulnerabilities.

As you embark on this next phase of your A Fresh Chapter Odyssey, it is hard to imagine how the experience ahead might change you. You may come face-to-face with poverty and injustice that breaks your heart. You may discover things about your story that challenge you to forgive someone or let go of old hurts. You may decide you want to make small or big changes in your life, which can be liberating and terrifying in equal measure.

Try to give yourself permission to feel all of it. Give yourself this rare opportunity to expand your perspective and question the well-oiled grooves in your mind about why something “should” be a certain way. Start to embrace a deep sense of curiosity – which is a theme we will continue to explore together. Know that you will meet fellow travelers who will challenge you and support you, knowing that when this experience is over, you might not be able to articulate it perfectly, but there will be people who get it.

You embarked on this Odyssey because you were seeking something in your life. What you discover will be different from what others discover, but we hope that through the resources, the journaling prompts, and the experiences ahead – you will emerge a wiser and more self-compassionate version of you.

Here’s to the incredible adventures ahead.