Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Comfort Zones Need To Be Expanded

Members of the Clark County Industrial Council learned of Motivational Therapy during the group's regular monthly meeting, Dec. 19.

Tressie McJunkins, with Ouachita Technical College of Malvern, said it is important for people to learn how to deal out of their comfort zone, the area they feel most comfortable and control in.

This zone, she said, is something which has developed over the past few years, with people narrowing them greatly.

"We don't know people like we used to," she informed the CCIC, proving her point by asking how many knew the people in their neighborhood with few hands raised.

"We're mostly in our comfort zone in our homes, with friends and on the job," she said. However, McJunkins informed the CCIC people need to get out of these small zones and meet new people.

Getting out of the zone is not easy, nor is it comfortable. McJunkins said some ways to leave the zone are to do public speaking; touch others, showing you care when you do; talk and listen to others; and reveal your inner feelings.

Participating, she said, is vital. There are eight steps McJunkins gave for expanding comfort zones: listening and understanding what others are saying; paying attention to others; caring about others and making them understand the concern is genuine; know about other people; furthering education; thinking before speaking; and encouraging yourself and others to be the best you can.

Most people develop their comfort zones with the rules given when children. These rules, for the most part, are negative in nature.

"We tell children 'don't' and 'no' when imparting these rules," she said, "and we don't need to. Instead, we need to work and show positives for them."

In other business, CCIC members were informed of the membership drive progress. Fred Lynch said 129 have paid their dues, with $5,465 collected, not including the pledges made.

He said the goal is to get 500 new members by the time the CCIC has its membership meeting on Jan. 16, 1997.

Peter Lawson, CCIC executive director, said the county has a "cool" prospect possibly interested in locating in the area. He said queries have been made as to rail access from this Arkansas-based company.

Information, he said, has been sent to the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission in Little Rock.