10 Reasons To Step Out Of The Comfort Zone
Many believe that the comfort zone consists of all the pleasurable situations that surround us and add pleasure to our lives. The truth is, however, that this is not the case at all. The comfort zone consists of all situations, good or bad, that we are already used to and that constitute a routine. This routine, however comfortable it may be, causes us to avoid questioning things, thinking critically, and making decisions.
That is the only thing that comfort gives us: the comfort of moving through inertia. Your comfort zone is like a bubble that protects you with everything that remains the same. Even if we complain and it seems unbearable, we stay there because of these fears and how incredibly easy it is for them to become a habit.
The price is very high. To not step out of the comfort zone is practically to give up life, to give up growth. We stay there, idle, as the years pass and our lives become poorer. Here are ten good reasons to do something important for yourself: step out of your comfort zone.
This is not a cliché. In reality , it is surprising what we discover about ourselves when we dare to do something that pulls us away from our habits, when we decide to pursue a goal we did not think we were capable of achieving. In every human being there are many abilities and skills dormant, waiting for a chance to show themselves.
The road with the least resistance forces itself as a routine, because it was designed for just that. Only exceptional situations require the best of us. And this is where we discover that we can do much more than we thought.
When you focus on only one point of view, you miss many of the angles of reality – many much more advantageous or interesting. Stepping out of the comfort zone will allow you to get closer to new ways of looking at yourself and life.
This translates into increased flexibility in appreciating things and the way you live. In other words, you will be more adaptable. And an increased ability to adapt becomes a greater ability to navigate difficult situations.
When you discover that the only thing you lack is determination and that you are really capable of doing more things than you thought, your self-confidence will immediately increase, and you will begin to achieve everything you were afraid of before.
Uncertainty breeds the habit of not trying. If you stop thinking so much and act instead, you will realize much rather that you can actually go much further than you imagined. And you also feel greater appreciation for who you are.
Our greatest fears are born of indecision and inertia. Fear creates its own vicious circle: because you are afraid, you will not try and stay where you are. And because you do not try, the fear will take hold of you and grow.
Often, if not always, fear is resolved simply by our actions. In general, fear becomes weaker as we move forward. It is difficult to start, but if you do, you will notice that many of the biggest fears disappear.
Dare to do something that gives us a sense of adventure and challenge in life. Routines are predictable and, as such, often tedious. Changes stir in your emotional world. Very pleasant emotions are dusted off, such as the ability to be surprised, curiosity and the desire to discover new things.
Even great intellects stagnate when they are not offered constant stimulation. Intelligence is like a muscle that needs training to function properly. Routine hardly requires anything at all – a minimal use of your intellectual capacities.
The same goes for creativity. Only new situations evoke new answers and new solutions. Stepping out of the comfort zone will give your creativity and intelligence a chance to show off.
When life ceases to be an endless repetition of the same things, it becomes much more interesting and worth living. When you discover that you are capable of much more than you thought, your appreciation for life will increase.
To have good relationships with others, we must first have good relationships with ourselves. If you are not happy with who you are or what you do, it will be difficult for you to value things in the people around you.
Stepping out of the comfort zone, discovering yourself, overcoming fears and feeling happier about living is something that will result in better relationships with others. You will notice that conflicts become less and that you have a greater capacity to see the good in everyone.
Experiencing the present is a form of wholeness. When your efforts, your attention and your enthusiasm are concentrated on the present, it is because this moment is a time of personal insight. Stepping out of the comfort zone leaves no room for anything other than living in the present. You need all your attention and all your determination to navigate this new situation that is spreading in front of you.
By increasing your belief in your own possibilities, you will feel that you need others in a different way. They are an excellent complement to who you are – not your cane, not your refuge. Being independent strengthens your security in who you are to an even greater extent while allowing you to feel the value of freedom with greater power.
Pictures by Anne Soline, Art Graphics and Kim Ji-Hyuck.
