Get Uncomfortable: 8 Benefits of Facing Your Fears
Why Staying in Your Bubble is Holding You Back
Let’s be real — stepping outside your comfort zone can be downright scary.
As humans, we crave security and familiarity. We want to avoid uncertainty and the possibility of failure. So it’s tempting to just stay in our lanes and stick to our routines. But is playing it safe really getting us anywhere?
As someone who used to be risk-averse and shy, I’ve learned firsthand the incredible growth and fulfillment that comes from pushing my boundaries. Once you get a taste of it, there’s no going back. Life just seems fuller and more vibrant.
Of course, it’s a process. Start small if you need to. But don’t deprive yourself of the magic that happens outside your comfort zone.
Here are 8 compelling reasons to get uncomfortable and see just what you’re capable of:
1. You’ll build your confidence
“If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.” — Jim Rohn
Each time you try something new or face a fear, no matter how small, it builds your faith in yourself. You realize you can handle challenges that used to paralyze you.
You become a little braver and develop some swagger. Your confidence snowballs as you rack up more wins.
Each time I pushed into something outside my comfort zone — be it karaoke, dance classes, making small talk at events — it built my faith in myself.
Now I walk into most social situations feeling sure of myself, even if I mess up. Because I know I can handle unfamiliar challenges. With practice, you realize you’ve got this! And it makes you braver every day.
Tip: Make a list of small things slightly outside your comfort zone and check off at least one a week. Watch your confidence grow.
2. You’ll discover hidden talents and passions
“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.
Staying in your routine means you likely only use a small fraction of your potential. By venturing into new territory, you uncover hidden interests and talents you may not have otherwise known about. You pull back the curtain on your own abilities.
For me, Joining a story slam showed me how much I love performing for a crowd. And backpacking in the wilderness taught me I don’t totally hate camping. Pursuing these passions brought hobbies into my life that make it so much richer.
Tip: Think back to what you loved exploring as a kid. See if those latent interests spark joy in you now.
3. You’ll build resilience
“We acquire the strength we have overcome.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from hardships and setbacks. It’s a mental muscle that gets stronger with exercise.
Each time you get outside your comfort zone, you’re flexing that muscle. With practice, you build the grit to pick yourself up after failures on your journey.
Trying new things led me to make plenty of mistakes, fail publicly at times, or just feel massively awkward. But by learning to laugh at myself and keep going, I developed the emotional tools I needed to handle life’s curveballs. My perspective and coping strategies grew stronger.
Tip: Reframe mistakes as data to learn from. Let go of perfectionism. If you trip, get back up with curiosity.
4. You’ll expand your perspectives
“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.”
Challenging your usual way of thinking exposes you to new ideas, cultures, and experiences. It expands your perspectives. Maybe you gain insight into how others live. Or realize there are kind people everywhere despite differences.
Breaking out of your bubble provides an education no classroom can give.
I thought I was open-minded…until I made an effort to listen and connect with people of different backgrounds. Their stories blew my mind and changed my worldview.
Now some of my closest friends come from different backgrounds than me. It’s made me so much more open-minded and empathetic. My world feels bigger and full of possibilities.
Tip: Seek out art, food, or music from other cultures. Travel somewhere out of your norm. Have deeper conversations to understand different viewpoints.
5. You’ll form deeper connections
“A single conversation across the table with a wise person is worth a month’s study of books.” — Chinese proverb
Stepping outside your social comfort zone can lead to more authentic connections. Sharing vulnerabilities or joining new groups lets you bond with people over real shared experiences.
Pushing past my introvert tendencies to strike up conversations has helped me connect with amazing people I would have otherwise missed out on.
Some of my most nourishing relationships came from getting outside my comfort zone.
Tip: Share something personal with someone new. Ask thoughtful questions. Follow up and continue investing in relationships where you spark.
6. You’ll have better stories to tell
“A good story has the power to bring us to tears, to make us laugh, and to fill us with emotion. We don’t just listen — we live the story together.”
The truth is, the most interesting people have the best stories. Their adventures, risks going awry, unexpected moments of triumph or humor — that’s the good stuff that makes for great storytelling!
Getting outside my comfort zone has given me an arsenal of fun stories that break the ice with new people.
Tip: Out of your comfort zone activities naturally give you content. But also train yourself to be a compelling storyteller.
7. You’ll improve your problem-solving skills
“We develop new confidence in problem solving, decision making, creativity, and communication when we expand our comfort zones.”
New challenges outside your comfort zone require creative problem solving and improvisation. Whether it’s learning a skill from scratch, traveling to a foreign country, or figuring out a workaround to a roadblock — you build critical thinking muscles.
When I’ve been faced with uncertainty, I’ve learned to calmly look for solutions instead of shutting down. With practice, I gained faith in my ability to handle whatever comes my way.
Tip: When faced with a challenge outside your comfort zone, avoid knee-jerk reactions. Get curious and look for solutions.
8. You’ll have more fun!
“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” — Friedrich Nietzsche
Stepping outside your comfort zone brings excitement and moments that take your breath away. It reminds you what it feels like to be fully alive.
Learning new sports, traveling somewhere unfamiliar, taking the stage…these experiences create memories that light you up from within.
Tip: Think back to your happiest memories. Look for common threads. Seek out similar small moments of wonder, adventure, connection, or growth.
If you’re feeling stuck in a rut, summon the courage to get a little uncomfortable. Push beyond the boundaries of your everyday. See what you’re capable of and who you can become.
The journey will stretch you, excite you, and take you to places you never imagined — places that just may feel like home.
Ready to give it a try? Start small but start somewhere. Wishing you many magical moments outside your comfort bubble up ahead.
