The Changing Comfort Zone

Something that you are no doubt going to notice is that your comfort zone is changing. There are some things that you are more comfortable doing, some things that you are less comfortable doing. Unwanted physical contact is an obvious example; even a few years ago you had no problem with someone tickling you, but now it’s a major problem. On the other hand, you have less problem with being punched, as long as the punch isn’t too powerful. You have problems with intimate contact (hugging, kissing, and tickling) and less problem when it’s more bonding and proving how tough you are (punches and wrestling); this is normal.

Part of the problem is because you see things differently. Intimate connections make you feel weird; this is because you are sorting out your feelings towards things, and intimate feelings make you feel uneasy, almost physically ill in some cases. This is because your body is getting ready for different kinds of relationships, and your mind is backing your body up on that. I hate saying that we will cover that later, but we will; just trust me for now. But for now, realize that you are less interested in hugs and kisses and more interested in handshakes, and that that’s fine.

On the other hand, you are trying to establish yourself as being able to take on more responsibility; taking pain is the best way can show that you are able to deal with things without cracking. Look at it this way: You see adults sucking things up, doing and dealing with things that they would prefer not to. You want to show that you can do that as well. Taking a punch is the easiest way of showing that you can suck things up without it seriously messing with you. This means that fighting and wrestling, as well as sports in general, are going to be more interesting for you, especially those with a teamwork aspect.

There are other ways you are going to notice your comfort zone is, well, mutating. Girls are one obvious area. You are going to go from ignoring them to wanting to be around them. You are also going to notice that you want to spend less time with your friends; that’s fine, that’s normal, too. You are going to want some time alone, to think about things or just to be alone; this is not abnormal or make you a freak.

In short, just be advised that the way you think about things is changing. This is not weird, this is normal; don’t freak out. Well, not yet….