Written by: Alicia Kangas, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” - Neale Donald Walsch
Staying in your comfort zone is just as important as leaving it from time to time. Contrary to widespread belief, your comfort zone is not fixed to a specific location. It is not bounded by physical walls. The truth is that our comfort zone exists in our mind. With that said, it should be easy to get out of it right? Unfortunately, the answer is “no.” It is far more complicated than that.
Comfort zones are called ‘comfort’ for a reason. It is because everything that falls inside this zone makes us comfortable, we know everything like the back of our hands. It does not give us any headaches. It does not cause us any stress. It is where we usually head to the moment life becomes too much for us to bear. It is your ‘usual’ environment where you control everything, and you know nothing is going to come out at you and scare you to death.
Comfort zones are all good. But it becomes a negative thing when it holds you back from living life the way it is meant to be lived.
Think of a turtle hiding in its shell. You are the turtle, and the shell is your comfort zone. You want to try out something new, but you are too afraid. Your friends are asking you to check out something new and fun, but you refuse. You spend your entire life in your shell. That is all you know. And because of that, you do not get to live life at all. You are simply living inside your shell.
It is true that you can be happy inside your comfort zone. However, like most things in life, you need to maintain that level of happiness. To do that, you would need to step out of your comfort zone.
Let us take, for example, a married couple. When you are newlyweds, everything seems so exciting, so perfect. However, a few months or a few years down the road, you realize that both of you have become far too comfortable with the life you have made, and you are no longer happy. You are no longer growing in your relationship. You do the same things over and over, day in and day out. There is no variety in your daily routine or your marriage. In turn, unhappiness begins to build up.
To combat this, you would need to do something out of the ordinary. Both you and your spouse are taking each other for granted, and you will need to work hard on making the marriage happy once again. Perhaps you can both take up a dancing lessons, or you schedule something adventurous on your days off. Rediscover each other by leaving your comfort zones behind.
Here are other ways you can break out of your comfort zone:
Remind yourself of your dreams
Do not let your comfort zone drag you down. You know what you want deep down inside, but you are too afraid of all the risks and the unknowns along the way. A realistic method of going after your dreams, and minimizing the risks, is by planning.
Have a solid plan on how you are going to get from point A (where you are now) to point B (your big dream). If you can break it down into milestones and mini-goals, it will be even better. This way, you are not going to feel like David going after Goliath.
Every time you achieve a milestone, it brings you one step closer to your goals. Just take it easy. Have a daily, weekly, or monthly goal, and you will not even realize how far you have left your comfort zone behind!
Be brave and face your fears
Just because you are leaving your comfort zone behind does not mean you are going to be entering the lion’s den. The outside world may be chaotic, but if you spend enough time in it, you will learn that it is not so bad. There is a semblance of order there. You just need to open your eyes and recognize the signs and the patterns.
When planning your great escape, ask yourself what your greatest fears are and then figure out how you can combat these fears. If you are afraid of public speaking, perhaps it is because you hate the thought of people laughing at you.
To face your fear, try thinking of it this way: you have an especially important message to share, and the only way people are going to learn about it is if you go out there and tell them. Otherwise, they are going to live their lives in blissful ignorance. Also, you can say to yourself that half of your audience is in the same boat as you. They are just as afraid of public speaking as you are.
So, you see, your problems are not particularly bad. Whatever your fear is, break it down until you can see just how foolish and insignificant it all is in the grand scheme of things!
Learn a new skill
Learning a new skill in this day and age is a must. Employers value it, colleagues appreciate it, and best of all, you are not limiting yourself to only a few simple skills. New skills will open a whole new world for you. Sure, it is going to take some time, but if you keep on doing the same things over and over, you are eventually going to get left behind. If you want to succeed in life, you need to pick up as many relevant skills as possible. In short, you can never have too many skills.
Strike up a conversation
When we were kids, our parents told us to never talk to strangers. However, this does not need to continue into our adult lives. We are better informed, and we are savvy enough to identify who we should be avoiding and who we should be socializing with. Perhaps you have a new colleague at work. He or she seems to be the shy type. Instead of hiding in your cubicle, go say “Hi!” and introduce yourself. That person will appreciate your kindness and you will end up feeling happy about yourself.
Alicia Kangas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Alicia is the Founder, Director, and CEO of HOLISTIC RIVERS, INC.
It is her mission to help others to awaken to their own truth, in order to ultimately create a lifestyle of pure abundance, happiness, freedom, peace, and joy, through a holistic approach to their overall lifestyle!
Alicia is an International Award-Winning Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Registered SomaYoga Teacher, Executive Business Coach, Positive World Influencer, Award-Winning Entrepreneur, and Published Author.
She is one of our Executive Contributors who we have selected as one of our prestigious honorees for our 2021 CREA Global Award in recognition of Alicia being one of the top entrepreneurs, influential leaders, and innovators from across the globe.
Alicia has been featured on ABC, NBC, FOX, USA TODAY, CBS, and 500 + other media companies.
She also has a Biography which resides in the Dictionary of Marquis Who's Who in America, where they endeavor to profile the leaders of American society who are influencing their nation's development. Biographies in Marquis Who’s Who are of individuals whose achievements and contributions to society have made them subjects of widespread reference interest and inquiry.
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