Do you feel as if you are living inside a hypothetical box, chained to a familiar routine whose predictable pattern of events provide comfort to you? Do you wonder why nothing groundbreaking happens in your life? It’s because you are too dependent upon the comfort of your routine and too scared of stepping out of your comfort zone.
Too often, we miss opportunities that are presented to us on a plate, merely because we are too frightened of stepping out of our comfort zones and confronting our fears.
If you are also too scared to take the leap that will bring you out of the limits of your comfort, someone who is scared of experimenting new things, take heed before it’s too late, and leap.
I know what you must be thinking, why should you step out of your comfort zone? Why should you listen to someone you don’t even know?
Here’s why:
Why Should You Step Out of Your Comfort Zone?
“It’s only after you’ve stepped out of your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform.”
— Roy T. Bennett.
Growth and development only occur when you venture out of your four walls to meet the challenges of life with the strength of a warrior.
Here are 5 reasons why you should consider stepping out of your comfort zone:
1. There are a plethora of opportunities out there!
The massive amount of opportunities that the world holds within it will only be visible to you once you step out of your comfort zone.
2. There’s no growth without a little discontent
Stepping out of your comfort zone does not only lead you towards a path of success but also personal growth, transformation, and fulfillment of desires.
3. Challenges promote brain health
Challenging situations promote mental health by teaching the brain how to cope with, adapt to, and deal with challenges along with polishing the brain’s memory, focus, and task management skills.
4. You will learn new things
As you get out of your comfort zone, you will encounter numerous problems. Each problem will lead you towards its solution, ultimately steering you towards learning new skills and developing new abilities and talents. As Robert H. Schuller says, “Problems are not stopped signs, they are guidelines.”
5. Failure is Success
It may sound self-contradictory but failure does lead to success. A lot of times, fear of failure prevents people from stepping out of their comfort zones.
I won’t lie and say that you will be successful with everything you do because you won’t. You will face challenges and will have to cope with failure but how does failure lead to success? By teaching you to do better, by teaching you to figure out other solutions and by making you stronger and smarter.
How to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone?
Often, you may find yourself at the ledge, ready to take the leap that will lead you out of your comfort zone but then this tiny part of your brain that is afraid of heights stops you from doing so, worrying if you will be able to fly or would this leap lead to your demise?
As a result, you retreat to the starting point and from there, it’s another long journey to the ledge again.
If you often find yourself wondering how to step out of your comfort zone, I have compiled 6 ways that are guaranteed to serve as the last push to send you soaring.
1. Focus on Your Goals
Stay focused on your dreams and aspirations. When the going gets tough, take a moment to recall all the reasons you would like to see your dreams accomplished. Focus on your purpose and ignore all else. Read how to find and set your life goals.
2. Identify, embrace and conquer your fears
Do not let your fears conquer you, instead, conquer them.
Instead of turning a blind eye to the fears that pose as obstacles on your path towards success, identify them, note them down, and embrace them.
Once you conquer your fears, you will realize you can control them. You will still be scared but you will be able to subdue them as you venture out of your comfort zone. Instead of nurturing your fear, walk towards it with confidence and tear it down piece by piece.
3. Take Baby Steps
Instead of diving right into uncharted waters, test them first before slowly walking into them. Take your time in familiarizing yourself with your new surroundings before integrating them into your comfort zone.
Breaking out of your comfort zone does not necessitate for you to jump right out, rather, strategize, observe, and evaluate before you get started with something new.
4. Realize Your Strengths
Realizing your strengths, embracing them, and using them to your advantage is a significant factor that can help propel you out of your comfort zone.
Realize your powers, and modify them according to what certain different situations require.
5. Stay Positive
During times of adversity and in situations where you find yourself failing, stay positive. Tell yourself that everything happens for a reason. If a certain thing is not working out in your favor, even after multiple attempts, do not exhaust yourself further. Be positive, do not fall into a pit of hopelessness, and try your luck elsewhere.
6. Quit Overthinking, Remain Dedicated
It can be hard to quit overthinking but what we can do is quit giving in to it. Remain dedicated to your purpose and do not let yourself lose to the infuriating process of overthinking. Read Everything you need to know about overthinking.
Once you establish why you need to get out of your comfort zone, decide on something, and make haste in taking the first baby step to ensure you do not backtrack due to overthinking. However, remain patient as you progress further, and if the new setting or habit suits you, remain resolute and watch as success runs after you.
