I’m in the President’s Gardens in Malta. Almost a year after my move, I still have many new places to discover. One of my new Maltese friends has arranged to meet me here, and I am truly fascinated by the beauty and mystery of this place.

I don’t know why, but it spontaneously occurred to me to think about the so-called “comfort zone“, that virtual or physical place where we feel comfortable, but everyone encourages us to leave in order to explore new territories, push beyond our limits, and renew ourselves.
They say to us, “Don’t be afraid, step out of your comfort zone!”
But I believe that having fear is a sign of intelligence, pardon my modesty. It’s a self-defence mechanism that protects us. And venturing out without knowing where to go is not always a good idea, I truly believe that.

Yet… what would life be without the thrill of risk?
Rossini already knew: his Italian Girl in Algiers sings, “Now is the time for courage: who I am will be seen!”

And here I am: if I look around today, it’s far from my comfort zone—I live in the middle of the sea, a good thousand kilometres away from my loved ones and my home. I have left behind a job that was unpleasant but secure, I speak a language that is not my own, I don’t have a car, I sing every day, and I am happy.
I couldn’t have predicted any of this when, two years ago, I booked a flight to attempt an audition (at my age?).

Only later did I realize that I had stepped—leapt—out of my comfort zone.
But no, no leaps were involved; instead, it was a multitude of small daily choices that, one day, all came together and, without my noticing, lifted me up and helped me cross my own border.

So, the secret for me lies in these tiny daily energies. That’s why I have become a true enthusiast of small contrary gestures, original decisions, luminous thoughts, and generous perspectives.
I see that the more I am capable of filling my life with these, the more renewal becomes a constant and liberating flow, and I can be wherever I choose because my comfort zone travels with me.