Breaking Out of Comfort Zones
My mother knew someone who was so afraid of making a left turn in her car that she simply refused to do it. Rather than take the most direct route, she would make only right turns and circle around until she reached her destination. She’d get there eventually, but giving in to her fear added extra time and miles to her trip and prevented her from seeing some of the surrounding area.
As a teen, the image of this woman planning her trips based solely on right turns always made me giggle. Now I realize she was operating in her comfort zone, something that most people—including genealogists—do.
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About Author
Laura DeGrazia
Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CGSM, FGBS, editor of NGS Monthly, is a professional genealogist specializing in the New York City area and Irish Americans. She is past president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, former editor of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, and author of the NGS Research in the States series guide for New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County.