How to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone - Obstacles, Benefits, Steps
Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it. ― C. JoyBell C.
What is the Comfort Zone?
Comfort zone is a mental state in which you are following a set of behaviors that are most comfortable to you.
The comfort zone is not a bad thing in itself. Usually, in your comfort zone are that things that you feel you have control over, which you can do with ease and don’t require many resources and energy. You need to know what are the things that you are comfortable with and what your limits are so you can get to know yourself better.
The problem is only if you have difficulties stepping outside your comfort zone, if you miss opportunities because it is challenging to step outside, if you do not grow as a consequence.
Ask yourself: What is keeping you in your comfort zone? What are some of your obstacles, reasons for why you stay? Why is it hard or uncomfortable to step outside of it?
Reasons why we stay in the comfort zone
1. Staying in the comfort zone has its benefits.
Let’s remember that we are creatures of habit and it is so easy to stick to our routines.
There are plenty of benefits that come with living within your comfort zone. You feel safe and secure, you’re confident and in control.
That is because you have already mastered the problems that exist in your world, you know or can easily predict what is coming next and your stress and anxiety are minimal. You have rules, guidelines and habits in place that help you deal with everything.
2. The stories we tell ourselves
What we tell ourselves matters and we can be very convincing and / or deceiving. We are very we are very creative at finding excuses for not doing certain things and we have a lot of training in doing so. We are experts at it.
3. Fear, Worry and Anxiety – Avoidance and Procrastination
When you are afraid of failure, of making mistakes, when you worry about what other people might think or say, when you tell yourself you are not good or capable enough, you think you’re not good enough – you will most likely feel anxiety and that negative emotions leads to avoidance and procrastination. You might even feel overwhelmed or stuck and don’t know what to do or where to begin.
You stay in the comfort zone because it feels negative when you try to step outside of it. We don’t like to feel negative and we will try to avoid it at all costs. So, it is easier to decide not to do a behavior and consequently stop feeling negative, than to sit with the negative emotions and do it anyway.
4. Fear of Success – Yes, that is a very real thing
The power to change your life comes with great accountability and responsibility. And that can mean a lot of pressure and fear.
You might be avoiding that responsibility by procrastinating, and finding excuses to not do certain behaviors, to putt of action until the next day. You might be telling yourself that you are not feeling that confident today, that you need to do a million other things until you can get started, or even that you are not prepared, capable or suitable to achieve that goal.
Ask yourself: What does it mean for you to get out of your comfort zone? What kind of activities or situations make you uncomfortable?
Think about the situations that would represent for you getting outside of your comfort zone.
It could be anything from going to a Meetup or a workshop, giving honest constructive feedback, approaching a stranger, learning something new to going to a job interview, making a significant life change, adapting to a change in your life.
The more you know about where your comfort zone ends, the greater your ability to understand yourself and to start to make changes will be.
Benefits of stepping outside your comfort zone
It provides the chance to feel positive emotions and states: satisfaction, excitement, curiosity, growth, exploration
It helps you create and take advantage of opportunities and connect with people that can bring value to your life.
it provides the start for achieving goals and desires, gain new knowledge, learn new things, improve your abilities
It will give you a more positive perspective on your life and it makes you more likely to see negative situations as opportunities for growth and learning
it helps you focus on your growth rather than comfort, which can be empowering
it involves taking responsibility for your own experience and ultimately, your own life
It helps you overcome negative emotions and feelings: frustration, boredom, guilt, anxiety
It keeps you from getting stuck in the same old daily or weekly routine or even rut
it adds more fun to your life
Ask yourself: When was the last time you got out of your comfort zone? What benefits did that bring for you?
Let’s step outside our comfort zones!
1. Plan for fun
Write a list with at least 5 new fun activities that you want to do and then plan them. Think about some things that you have been postponing or some new activities that you would want to try.
2. Get inspired
Write down your favorite quote, inspiring message or advice to yourself. Put in on your fridge, write it in your phone or in your journal so you can have it accessible. Try to put it into practice as often as possible.
3. Learn from your past
Think about one difficult experience from your past that was hard for you but that brought you a learning opportunity about yourself. Take some time to reflect upon it.
4. Share with yourself
Think about 3 personal things about you following these questions:
What is one of your guilty pleasures?
What is something wonderfully strange or weird about you?
What is something that you keep postponing or avoiding?
5. Reflect on positive memories
Think about one special positive memory from your past. Go back to it and try to remember where you were, who was around you, what kind of emotions you were experiencing. Try to see how you can recreate similar experiences in your present and in your future.
Remember: Start small, then take steps to do bigger things that challenge yourself!