PSYCHOLOGY
Why Leaving Your Comfort Zone Could Be the Best Decision You Ever Make
Why sitting in your comfort zone might not be doing you any favors.
Routine is easy to put into practice. We eat the same breakfast every morning, drink coffee for breakfast and tea before going to bed. We go to work the same way, at the same time. This is the so-called comfort zone. Stepping outside of it involves taming and accepting the fear that comes with it. But also with development, which — without crossing the comfort zone — is not possible.
Leaving your comfort zone is a scary proposition, but it’s also one of the most important things you can do in your life. When you’re in your comfort zone, you’re not growing or learning; you’re simply coasting along. To truly achieve your potential, you need to push yourself outside of your comfort zone on a regular basis.
“You can choose courage or you can choose comfort. You cannot have both.” -Brene Brown
What is a comfort zone?
A comfort zone is a psychological space of safety that consists of our habits, customs, and beliefs. To cross it is to experience something new. According to some, it is beyond the boundaries of this zone that lies all the creativity, innovation, and imaginativeness so desired in modern times.
However, when we cross the comfort zone, fear arises. It is good to know that it is an inherent part of the change, which always comes when we are afraid of failure and when we do not know what awaits us “on the other side”.
It’s worth to keep leaving your comfort zone
There are plenty of ways to challenge yourself and leave your comfort zone. You can take on new challenges at work, learn a new skill, or travel to a new destination. The key is to be proactive and make a conscious effort to push yourself outside of your comfort zone.
If you’re not sure where to start, try something small at first. Take on a new project at work, or sign up for an online course that’s outside of your usual interests.
The key to leaving your comfort zone is to take small steps. Don’t try to do too much too soon. Start by identifying one or two things that you can do to push yourself beyond your current boundaries. Then, take the plunge and do them! As you become more comfortable with these new experiences, you can add more challenges to your list.
In order to grow as a person, you must be willing to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. This means trying new things, facing your fears and doing something that scares you. It can also mean stepping outside of your comfort zone in your personal relationships and professional life.
According to the research paper by Sarah Viana:
“When you embrace stretching outside the bounds of your comfort, growth happens. This is when we develop new skills, enrich our life by forming a new hobby, meet and connect with new people, as well as become open to saying yes to new experiences.”
For me, stepping out of my comfort zone is doing different nails than ever before. For example — I’ve always done subdued, pastel nails in one color. Stepping out of my comfort zone is doing a new color, designs, or several colors at once.
Or a second example that more people can identify with — going to the gym. I was terribly shy at first. Then I convinced myself and started going with a friend, it was a significant but small step out of my comfort zone. The real way out of my comfort zone was to start going to the gym alone. It was hard and the first time was stressful at first. I managed and now I go to the gym alone several times a week without any problems.
If I hadn’t gotten out of my comfort zone I would still be dependent on my friends and only go when they go. By getting out of my comfort zone I now go to the gym regularly and keep going forward to being more and more fit.
“The hardest thing to do is leaving your comfort zone. But you have to let go of the life you’re familiar with and take the risk to live the life you dream about.” -T. Arigo
When you leave your comfort zone, you open yourself up to new experiences and opportunities. You learn new things, meet new people, and see the world in a different way. This can be both exciting and scary, but it is ultimately worth it.
Leaving your comfort zone takes courage and determination. It’s not always easy to step outside of your comfort zone, but it is worth it in the end. If you want to grow, you constantly need to leave your comfort zone.
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