DON’T Leave Your Comfort Zone — Enjoy It!

Have you seen those super-cool pics with people ready to jump from the top of the cliff, embrace the whole world or win a marathon? They also have that sticky quote either written on the pic, or readable in the determined mimics of the almost-jumper — Leave your comfort zone! At least once in our lifetimes we have been bombarded with those wise quotes urging us to leave our comfort zone to start really living and achieve success. Seems like the image that really irks everyone is…well…you.

There you sit, in your comfortable armchair, with a cup of tea or coffee in one hand and your phone in the other. And if you happen to be, say, a gamer, and also happen to (Oh, my god!) prefer playing games to, studying, the nagging gets even worse: “Stop playing; do something!” This is what all of us hear, every day, from everyone who cares.

I’m part of the Millennial Generation, born between 1980 and 2000. They say we have been raised under the mantra “follow your dreams”, and being told we were special, we tend to be confident and question everything we meet on our travels through life. On top of that, we’re ready to DISRUPT.

Armed with this info, now I dare to question all I’ve heard about comfort zones. Can’t my very own comfortable armchair and my favorite game on the phone do good to me? Life can not be THAT unfair!!!

I couldn’t find one adequate definition of the word play, but there are a number of psychological studies into why people play games. Studies show that all gamers have one thing in common: play gives them great enjoyment and pleasure, because it’s FUN. While it’s still important to learn and master a new skill, I believe it can also be fun. I want my learning be a natural process that doesn’t contradict my overall lifestyle. I will keep my phone charged and my armchair soft before I find the perfect blend of learning without pressing the Pause button in LIFE.