Expand Your Comfort Zone

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

George Bernard Shaw

 

From a psychological standpoint, your comfort zone is an artificial mental boundary within which you maintain a sense of security and out of which you experience significant discomfort.

For the most part, your comfort zone is a reflection of your self-image and how you think and expect things should be.

When you are in an uncomfortable situation, or one that doesn't fit your expectations, you usually do whatever you can to make yourself comfortable again.

For many people, even unhappy or unfulfilled, their natural inclination is to stay within their comfort zone simply because it is familiar and safe. Many stay in jobs, relationships, and situations that have long since lost their relevance only because they fear the unknown. The truth is that security does not reside in anything outside ourselves; instead, it lies within us.

Unfortunately, if you remain in your comfort zone, you will never find out what your true potential is or what you are capable of achieving. Nor can you succeed at anything without venturing out of the comfort of your safety net.

If you decide to move beyond the circumstances, people, and experiences you are familiar with, you move out of your comfort zone and onto the path of personal development. It is a path that forces you to stretch, push your limits and become more than you were.
Of course, suppose you have no inclination or desire for it. In that case, you don't have to do anything extraordinarily out of character, like climbing Mt. Everest or swimming in the English Channel. Stretching yourself does not have to be that extreme.

Anyone who takes a new subject in school, learns a new language, takes up a new sport, or starts a new job, operates out of their comfort zone initially.

If you want to achieve anything noteworthy or out of the ordinary, expanding your comfort zone is a must!

Here are some other things you can do:

Break from a routine or habit you've had for a long time and find a different, perhaps better way to do it.

If you're typically a sedentary person, take a break from reading or the computer and find a physical activity you can enjoy and partake in. On the other hand, if you're typically very active, learn to wind down, read or relax.

Read a book, watch a movie or listen to music in a genre you're not familiar with. For example, if you usually read mysteries, try reading an inspiring biography; if you like action movies try a romantic comedy; if you listen to rock, try some jazz music.

If you happen to be shy and have trouble speaking in front of people, join a group like Toastmasters International where they encourage you to speak in public using positive and helpful techniques. The more practice you get, the more comfortable you'll be, and the better you will feel about yourself.

Go to an ethnic restaurant and try a dish from a culture different from your own. It will stimulate your taste and possibly open up a new cuisine.

Volunteer at the downtown mission or soup kitchen for a day and realize how comfortable your life is while helping someone simultaneously.

Benefits of expanding your comfort zone:

• Enhances your enjoyment and experience of life
• Stimulates brain activity and therefore boosts your mental health
• Increases self-confidence
• It makes you more resilient
• It helps prevent getting stuck in a rut or becoming depressed
• Challenges you to improve yourself
• Prevents atrophy

Stretching yourself and expanding your comfort zone is essential to personal development. Each step advances you to the next level and keeps you on the path of self-improvement.

Contributions: B. Tiger/Z. Hereford

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