“Coming out of your comfort zone is tough in the beginning, chaotic in the middle, and awesome in the end…because in the end, it shows you a whole new world. Make an attempt!”
- Manoj Arora
Table of contents |
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2. Why do we stay within our comfort zone? |
3. Benefits of living outside of your comfort zone |
4. Five ways to live out of your comfort zone |
The comfort zone
The comfort zone is a psychological state in which a person uses a small number of actions to produce a consistent level of performance, without feeling at danger or feeling any emotions of fear.
Why do we stay within our comfort zone?
We live in our comfort zone because we want to feel at ease without being tested. The "comfort zone" enables us to avoid painful or anxious feelings. We as humans are wired to naturally avoid unpleasant emotions. Therefore, we exclusively take part in familiar activities, which gives us a sense of "control" over our surroundings and circumstances. As a defense mechanism we deflect from any activity that pushes us beyond of our comfort zones which causes uncertainty, because uncertainty makes us anxious.
Benefits of living outside of your comfort zone
Learning how to live outside of your comfort zone requires a change in mindset and discipline. This act leads to (a) learning through experiences, (b) personal growth, and (c) success.
Other benefits include;
Self actualization - a person's confidence in their ability to carry out the actions required to achieve performance goals.
Increased self-confidence - one's trust in their ability to perform tasks, confidence in their skills, judgement and beliefs.
Resilience - the ability to withstand and overcome difficulty.
Five ways to live out of your comfort zone
Switch up your routine - this could include using a new travelling route, adding one more rep to your exercise routine or doing things alone.
Set challenges for your self - dare yourself to overcome one fear each month, you could implement this by creating a bucket list for each month.
Reflect - you could use a journal or record yourself on your phone stating why you would like to change and how these changes could positively impact your life.
Get an accountability partner - this has worked for me, I sometimes procrastinate because I let "perfectionism" get in the way of my progress. However, having an accountability partner has helped me become consistent as a blogger.
Say Yes - this concept is inspired by the book "The Year of Yes" by Shonda Rhimes. Saying yes to the things that scared her opened her up to opportunities she would've missed otherwise. Saying yes was often terrifying but it offered her moments of joy, rest and success. Try it, say yes.
Start small, be patient with yourself and keep going. Use reward systems to encourage yourself and have a positive outlook on the future.
“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
References
Ackerman, C.E. (2018). Building Strong Self-Belief: 16 Tips & Activities. Available: https://positivepsychology.com/self-confidence-self-belief/ [Accessed 05 February 2022].
Gasparovic, J. (2023). 112 Comfort zone quotes to destroy your fears. Available: https://theenemyofaveragecom/comfort-zone-quotes/ [Accessed 04 February 2022].
Wooll, M. (2022). How to get out of your comfort zone (in 6 simple steps). Available: https://www.betterup.com/blog/comfortzone#:~:text=The%20comfort%20zone%20is%20a,in%20control%E2%80%9D%20of%20their%20environment. [Accessed 04 February 2022].
Page, M. (2020). How to leave your comfort zone and enter your growth zone. Available: https://positivepsychology.com/comfort-zone/ [Accessed 04 February 2022].