Out of the Box: Emily, Michelle, & Courtney

Out of the Box asks the most of our readers: Share your all-in, no-holds-bar, out-of-the-box-and-away-from-your-comfort-zone moment -- purely for our inspiration. Enjoy this first group of amazing women! (And, please, feel free to share your story in a future edition of Out of the Box!)


{ Emily Schuman }

Profession: Online Advertising
Weakness/Vice: Anything chocolate. You know that scene from Sex and the City when Miranda throws away a cake so that she’ll no longer be tempted? That wouldn’t stop me.
Ultimate Comfort Zone: Curling up in a bed reading magazines while it’s raining outside.
So, what's your Out of the Box moment?
As an only child, I spent little time successfully away from my home before leaving for college. Sleepovers at friends’ houses almost inevitably ended at around 1:00 when I would call my dad to rescue me. Sleep away camps were kind of a joke since my parents knew they’d be picking me up the very next morning. So it went until I became a junior in high school when I went, with ten other students in my AP Spanish class, to live on my own with a family in Cuernavaca, Mexico. I stayed with them for 3 weeks speaking entirely in Spanish and absorbed the culture in its entirety. Between the colorful traditions, incredible cuisine and their relaxed way of life, it was an out of the box move for me that proved to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Emily also runs a fashion blog, Cupcakes and Cashmere, where food inevitable tends to creep in.

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{Michelle Urban}

Profession: Elementary school teacher
Weakness/Vice: shoe shopping; thai food
Ultimate Comfort Zone: being with my friends and family; teaching
So, what's your Out of the Box moment? I've always considered myself to be athletic, especially growing up in a family of hikers. However, as I've gotten older, I've found that the transition to the grueling work force left me exhausted. And as an active person, I loathed this overwhelming feeling. So, at the beginning of summer 2007--on a whim--I decided to sign up for a triathlon. Suddenly, I was obligated to participate, before I had a moment to comprehend what I was in for (1/2 mile open water swim, 13 miles bike, and 2.5 mile run is considered a "sprint triathlon"). While I felt confident about the swim and the run--having participated on swim and track teams as a kid--I knew the bike ride would not be so easy. I contemplated backing out, but I set this goal for myself, and I had to follow through.

The swim went flawlessly, despite the icy Lake Washington water that literally left me breathless. I staggered up the hill in goosebumps to the transition area, to change into my shoes and begin the bike ride, and was on my way. I'm not gonna lie, it wasn't easy, but at the finish line, physically drained as I was, I was wide eyed and smiling, proud of myself in knowing I'd achieved my goal--I had bit the bullet, sucked it up, and dove right in. I completed the triathlon, and biked all 13 miles (even managing to pass a few people on the way)! Since then, I've made a significant effort to be physically fit, and maintain a consistent exercise routine. I don't know if it was a result of stepping outside of my comfort zone, even for a day, but I felt it prompted me to make a lifestyle change that has only helped me for the better, evidenced by the fact that I'm gearing up for my second triathlon this fall!
Out of the classroom, and off the track, Michelle also blogs here.

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{Courtney Barton}

Profession: Marketing/Branding Coordinator
Weakness/Vice: I am a vintage addict through and through.
Ultimate Comfort Zone: Meeting up with dear friends at a local restaurant for a night of good eats and easy conversation.
So, what's your Out of the Box moment? I recently bought a Vespa LXV and have been petrified to drive it outside a 1 block radius. I live in Houston and we aren't exactly known for our friendly drivers! In order to get over my fright, I enrolled in a Motorcycle Riding School. There were about 40 participants on motorcycles and then my husband and I on our scooters that made my frilly bicycle look like a Harley. The entire weekend I had Lloyd Christmas flashbacks as we weaved through orange cones, pulled U-turns at Mach 5 speeds, and came to screeching halts at a moment's notice. Given the fact that it was 100+ degrees and I was covered head to toe (my gardening gloves added a nice touch), I made it out alive and unscathed. While I don't see myself ever having the guts to use half of what I learned, the course made me a better driver on both 2 and 4 wheels. And I had one heck of a good time in the process; no more hell on wheels here!

If you're lucky you might be able to spot Courtney driving said Vespa in a foreign country in the near future. Or, you can find her conveniently on her adorable, lifestyle blog.

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If you have an Out of the Box moment you'd like to share, please email me directly at jessie{dot}cacciola@gmail.com.