Last week I guess I was feeling a little empowered. That sense of empowerment came in the form of some encouraging words to my fellow networkers to step outside their comfort zones—not in a bold way but in a rather affable way with a tinge of conviction.

No, I wasn’t like General Patton rallying the troops with a battle cry nor was I Mother Theresa pleading for good will for all including the street children. And I was definitely a far cry from Norma Rae—I wasn’t even standing up. But I do hope some heeded the advice, if not that morning, maybe sometime soon.

Enter disclaimer! Just business related, I said. Legal business!

I wasn’t challenging them to climb Mount Everest or run for office or even do a dive into the deep end of a pool. Just do something you wouldn’t normally do, so that obviously can take on different meanings for each person.

I was encouraging them to connect with others on a different level, whether that meant meeting someone new or learning something new about someone they already knew. Realizing you can step outside your comfort zone without any horrific things happening as a result is empowering and confidence-building—something the small business owner always needs a little more of. But stepping outside your comfort zone can also mean another connection, another excuse for more communication and a means to understanding each other better.

So when you sit down tonight to enjoy a dinner, and by all means I hope you do, or you run to the grocery store for milk or attend a teacher’s conference, I hope you also communicate and get to know the people around you, even if it’s just a few words. When you do, you might be surprised by the courage you have inside you. It is this communication that will help us all facilitate the work of many, and it is this communication that will help us bridge some gaps and build new roads.

So get out there in the next 10 minutes and step outside your comfort zone! Go! Perhaps you can even start that book you’ve been meaning to write. I think you’ll be happy you did.