Recently, as we prepare for the campers to arrive in just a few short days, I have seen a lot of people stepping out of their comfort zones. This summer we have a lot of new staff who were once campers and have come back to be on staff. We have staff from other countries here for the summer to work, and we have one staff member who has never been a camper or a staff member before. It is easy for everyone to stay within their comfort zone and go throughout their day doing just that. Not participating in the activities that are being offered in your normal life setting outside of camp.When the campers come in just a few days, what is that showing them?

A quote I found recently by Richard Marcinko says, “”Change hurts. It makes people insecure, confused, and angry. People want things to be the same as they’ve always been, because that makes life easier. But, if you’re a leader, you can’t let your people hang on to the past.” This summer I will be the Village Chief in the Matolly Mohawk village. For this job, I will be overseeing the village of teen girls as well as the staff counselors in my village. This is a job I have never done before and as every summer approaches, you have to expect the unexpected. One factor in stepping out of your comfort zone that I think is very vital is having someone on your side who believes in you as they encourage you to believe in yourself.

Yesterday I saw this happen first hand and personally it was one of the most memorable moments in staff training thus far. The staff were down at the waterfront doing our swin evaluations. One staff member (who has never been to camp) I was sitting aside with, was very fearful of getting in the lake and was very certain she was not going to do it. One of the lifeguards asked everyone to stand up and practice a specific drill that would include having the staff walk from the one end of the shallow section to the other. After just a few steps, this one counselor decided that she was not ok participating and she was going back to the sand. I tried to encourage her that she could walk to the rope but she did not want to do it. After everyone went to the far dock to do the swimming evaluation, I took a look back and what I saw was something I will never forget. Another lifeguard who was in her clothes still because she wasn’t doing her test was walking in the water with her to the first rope. Before you knew it, they were swimming to the dock to meet up with the rest of the staff who were at the deep section of the lake. They jumped into the deep section of the lake and she began her swim test. I have never seen a more encouraging group of individuals cheering someone on in that moment. This individual completed her swim evaluation in the highest level when at first she didn’t even want to walk along the shallow end. All it took was someone at first who believed she could do it and then support from everyone around her.

I want to encourage you today, if you are doubting yourself that you are able to complete a certain task or obsticle because you don’t feel comfortable doing it, step out of your comfort zone. You never know what is beyond that first step.

-Jen Ping, Mohawk Village Chief 2012