Highway from the comfort zone

What is a comfort zone? Your comfort zone is a place where you feel safe and secure. It is where you are familiar with your surroundings, and you know what to expect. Remaining in your comfort zone may feel safe and familiar, but it can also lead to a stagnant life without any progress, which may lead to anxiety and depression. 

People all have different comfort zones, but they typically include things that are familiar to you, such as routines, habits, and beliefs.

Why is it important to step out of your comfort zone on occasion?

Staying within your comfort zone all the time can prevent you from experiencing new things, meeting new people, and learning new skills. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you can expand your horizons and enrich your life in many ways:

New experiences

These can broaden your perspective, challenge your assumptions, and provide you with new knowledge and skills. You might find that you have a natural affinity with something you’d always dismissed in the past. For example, if you were told you weren’t the best runner at school and stopped running, why can’t you start running again now, for fun and health? You could also sign up for a different class or activity that you've never tried before and see where it takes you. 

Increased confidence

Accomplishing something that you previously thought was impossible for you can boost your self-esteem and confidence. When you face your fears and overcome challenges, you prove to yourself that you're capable of achieving more than you originally thought you could.

Confronting our fears helps us to manage them. Trying new things can be scary, but when you succeed, it can be incredibly empowering. As an example, many people who were initially afraid of public speaking talk of a natural high once they have powered through and delivered a talk. This is the empowerment high. And this high can power you on to keep achieving. 

Personal growth

Stepping out of your comfort zone can help you learn more about yourself and your abilities. It can teach you to be more resilient, adaptable, and open-minded, all of which are essential qualities for personal growth, especially in today’s ever-changing world. Imagining and preparing mentally for what might happen is a good tool to prepare for the unexpected. If the unexpected does happen, you are less likely to panic.

Creativity and innovation

Comfort zones can be stifling and prevent us from thinking creatively or innovatively. When we're forced to adapt to new situations, we're more likely to come up with innovative solutions and ideas. Talking to new people and experiencing new activities might help your unconscious with a subliminal prompt to resolve other issues in your life. 

Tips for taking on new tasks

When you do take on new tasks, here are three other things to consider:

1. Set goals

Identify your goals and create a plan to achieve them. Breaking down big goals into smaller, achievable steps can make them feel less daunting and keep you motivated. Starting small doing a few minutes a day on a task will reinforce the habit and working on your task will become something you start to look forward to and become part of your identity.

2. Embrace failure

Failure is a natural part of stepping out of your comfort zone. Instead of failure, just think of it as feedback, and priming your unconscious with information as to how something didn't work this time, but will in the future.

3. Surround yourself with people who encourage and support you

This can make stepping out of your comfort zone feel less daunting. They can provide you with the motivation and encouragement you need to push yourself beyond your limits. If you’ve told everyone you’re training to do a marathon, fear can be your friend as it makes you leave the house early on a wet cold Sunday morning to go for a training run!

In conclusion, getting out of your comfort zone is a critical component of personal growth and development. It can help you gain new experiences, increase confidence, meet new people and overcome fears leading to a more fulfilling and rewarding life. 

If you are struggling with a limiting belief which is stopping you from taking a first step out of your comfort zone, hypnosis can work wonders on guiding you to release these beliefs and help you unlock a new fulfilled life. Please email me or one of my wonderful colleagues on Hypnotherapy Directory to help you take that first step today and see where it takes you!

Bonus

Sometimes remaining in your comfort zone can be a good thing. After all, we all need to get the same basic things done each week as part of living and we all need some stability. I am not suggesting you start eating your cornflakes with a knife and fork.

The producers of the Top Gun sequel Top Gun Maverick chose to re-use the same version of the song 'Danger Zone' that was used in the 1986 Top Gun movie, as a means of invoking nostalgia in the audience for fans of the first film. This is where a re-recording of the song might not have been the best choice.

Staying in the comfort zone and ironically re-entering the Danger Zone worked for Top Gun Maverick in this instance. So combining a healthy dose of comfort zone and danger zone in your life is the best policy for a rich and rewarding life.