How to go beyond your comfort zone
If you opt for a safe life, you will never know what it’s like to win.
— Richard Branson
Introduction
Hello everyone, it's summertime and most of us are thinking about the holidays: where to go, what to do, who to meet and so on. It is so beautiful outside and the sun is so bright. We need these moments and we must appreciate them. They make our lives beautiful and interesting. Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to go on vacation. But that doesn’t mean we can't enjoy all the wonders around us. From the beautiful sunrise to its mysterious sunset there are so many simple things we can enjoy. Look for them and feel them. Stop for a moment, stand still, look at nature, smell the hundreds of scents in the air, let the wind caress your body, rejoice that you live, that you exist. Now, let's talk about serious but good things for your personal development. In today's post, I will write about the comfort zone.
Thoughts about the comfort zone
For me, comfort zone means those things that we do, with minimal energy consumption. These are the things or activities that we know and do as a routine. They give us security and confidence because we are in control. Unfortunately, they don't give us satisfaction and growth because in time they become commonplace.
For example, being sedentary and doing very little exercise makes us feel comfortable. We relax and we don’t force ourselves with anything. But if we start doing sports even fifteen minutes a day, every day, it will make us feel much better. To move much easier, to breathe better, to eat healthier, to make new friends are only some of the benefits. Of course, in the beginning, the physical and especially mental effort will be very high. After a while, it will become easy. Improve your life and make sports or only even movement. I can say from my own experience that sport has changed my life for the better in so many ways. Now I can't imagine my life without sports´. This is one example of what it means to go beyond your comfort zone and you can find many more on your own.
Going beyond the comfort zone I see it as a way to grow. Growth makes us stronger, more confident, and more fulfilled. So why not evolve by doing uncomfortable things at first. We have to decide to start. With small steps at first and then faster and faster as we are more confident. Remember how many things you have learned in your lifetime. How hard it was in the beginning, and how easy they are now. I remember how complicated it was to tie my laces to my shoes. Now I do it without thinking, my hands go by themselves with incredible precision.
In some cases, the comfort zone can ruin our lives. There are people, especially women, who live in toxic relationships. They endure physical and mental abuse for years, even whole their lives. But they don’t take into account the separation due to fear. Questions like this arise in their minds: how will I manage on my own? I will find an even worse man ?, how I will survive alone with the child ?, how will I pay the bills? So, the questions continue, making those women unable to make a decision that will improve their lives.
Also, there are bad habits that harm our health. Smoking, alcohol abuse, drugs, sleeping too less, sedentary lifestyle, and overeating are only some of them. We don't want to give up on them because we have became addicted. We have become accustomed to the pleasures they provoke in us. Their loss seems unbearable and unnecessary. We find a lot of explanations why we should continue, but in fact, we are lying.
So are the bad mental habits we have been making for years without realizing that they are destroying us. Fear, worries, overthinking, obsessing about failures, doubt, multitasking, constant mental pressure make our lives harder and sometimes unbearable.
All these examples can lead to depression, panic attacks, social distancing, mental and physical exhaustion, even suicide attempts. Living in a comfort zone will not help us grow, it will make us regress. That's why it's good to try to push our limits. Of course, we must choose the areas of life we want to develop.
How to go beyond your comfort zone
The next steps are the activities that you should do.
1. The First Thing To Do Is To Discover What Is This Area For You.
What is common, and natural to do? This could be: waking up and making your morning routine, doing sports, eating healthy, brushing your teeth, going to work, staying in mental pressure, multitasking your to do’s, taking no brakes, drinking too less water, prioritizing the day, meditation or short nap, preparing for a good sleep, taking time for what is important to you and the list can go on. We are all different, so is this area. From this list, you will recognize the good things and the bad things you do daily. The good things can stay like this or improve them, but the bad thing needs our focus.
2. In Step Two You Will Choose From Those Bad Habits The First Three
Take the ones that are the most important to you. If you want to choose more, don’t be shy, and do it. For example, you could work on sleep, sport, and nutrition. For many of us, those are things that have postponed for years. But this doesn’t matter now because you are going beyond your comfort zone.
3. In Step Three, You Must Make A Plan
You need to make a plan for each of these habits. The plan should be simple containing not more than five steps. For sleep, I could say: drink enough water during the day, wind down well one hour before, don’t eat before sleep, sleep for eight hours, and then repeat. The plans must have deadlines and follow-ups. For me is enough to make a follow-up once per week and a deadline I would say two months, but feel free to choose your deadlines.
4. Step Four Is The Most Important
Here you need to make sure that you are consistent with the plan. All the work until here has no value if we don't continue. You need to have reminders, you need to book your calendar with your activities, you could use a friend to watch you, you could write daily on social media about your progress and so on. There are many ways that you can choose to stay on track, use the ones that work best for you. Please keep in mind that going forward doesn't mean to revolutionize everything in one-day ore one week. It means taking small steps every single day to the goal. Be proud of your progress even is small, don't judge yourself hard when you didn't do something, go forward at your own pace. When something is not working be curious and find new ways to adjust yourself and try as many times as needed. You must be brave and continue even you feel uncomfortable, this is the key to change. Don’t stop because the results will pay off.
5. In The Last Step, The Fifth, You Will Look Back
Here you will understand where from you raised and what you have achieved. You will be amazed about your progress, is like you are another person. And if somehow you didn’t succeed as you planed please start again and find another way that works for you. Remember you are doing this for you, for your growth, for your life, for your family, I know you can do this!
Conclusion and final word
I know from my own experience that change is not easy and it takes time, but I tell you, it is worth it. Sometimes you need years to change something that will forever shift your life. But we need to be determined, to not stop until we do it. Don’t forget to enjoy the road to success because it gives you momentum, gives you wings to go even further. Celebrate your small wins, integrate them into your soul, boost your personal development. It is time for a change, it is time for a better life, it is time for you to raise, life is short and needs to be well-lived. Be your best friend and take a better road for your life.
See you next time, until then don’t forget, raise your life!
Related links:
12 WAYS TO PUSH YOURSELF OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE EVERY DAY
10 Ways to Overcome Fear and Break Out of Your Comfort Zone
13 Mental Tricks To Get Yourself Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Related videos:
How the comfort zone is ruining your life
Why comfort will ruin your life | Bill Eckstrom | TEDxUniversityofNevada
Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone | Yubing Zhang | TEDxStanford