WHY YOUR COMFORT ZONE IS REALLY NOT THAT COMFORTABLE

HOW TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

Ohhh that love-hate relationship with our comfort zone. Am I right? It’s warm, cushy, cozy, feels good, feels safe. But is that necessarily a good thing?

More often than not, if we’re not pushed to get out of our comfort zones, we will likely just stay there because we don’t really know any better. Our brains are wired to keep us safe, and stepping outside of our comfort zones is the opposite of that. It is dangerous and uncomfortable.

 

IS YOUR COMFORT ZONE HOLDING YOU BACK?

Do you ever get the urge to do something totally wild, that you’ve never done before (book a last minute flight to Europe, ditch that 9-5, start that business you've been dreaming about forever)? For a split second, do you feel you can & will do it, but then you “flash back” to reality and come down from that feeling? Your brain starts to make up excuses for why you shouldn't do those things, because they are unsafe, and unfamiliar. It starts to encourage you to play it safe, and stick to what you know, because you can’t fail there.

UGH. THE WORST.

Sometimes our comfort zones can be reallllly sneaky, and we don't even know they're there. Let me explain a little more...

A few years ago I had an AWESOME 9-5. For real. The people were so amazing they felt like family, my bosses were the bomb, I enjoyed the work I was doing, and there were always fun things going on that made me excited to go to work.

I worked there for about 1.5 years after completing my undergrad degree. I would sign contracts for a few months at a time, and was always super pumped when my contract would get extended. Eventually this came to an end. I was scared to leave, but also excited for my future.

What I realize now looking back at my situation, is I was very comfortable. Who wouldn't be?! 

While my 9-5 was great at the time, I was holding myself back from designing a life I truly loved. I stayed in my comfort zone unknowingly because I didn't understand what was possible for me. 

Knowing what I know now, I wish I took the leap sooner. 

Your comfort zone will try to tell you you will fail if you step outside of it, but if you have the courage to do so, you'll quickly realize what a load of BS that is.

 

WHY YOUR COMFORT ZONE ISN’T THAT COMFORTABLE

The sh*tty thing about comfort zones (although they are pretty) is they are keeping you at a standstill.

You are not being challenged, you are not overcoming any fears or doubts, and you are def not experiencing any growth.

Most of the time when we have big goals and dreams, they require us to grow in order to achieve them. Have you ever heard that quote -  “set a goal so big that you can’t achieve it until you grow into the person that can” - that’s what I'm talkin’ about!

Your comfort zone is preventing you from achieving the success you desire. So if you have big goals & dreams for yourself, but you’re still stuck inside your comfort zone, it becomes a place of contamination vs comfort.

 

FREE YOURSELF FROM YOUR COMFORT ZONE

TRUST ME, I know how scary it can be to step outside of your comfort zone. Coming from a girl who was a type A introvert growing up, things like this naturally make me cringe and want to VOM. BUT…I learned to get over it, and so can you.

If the idea of getting out of your comfort zone literally makes you want to pass out, start with SMALL steps. Over time you will naturally put yourself in situations that require you to ditch your comfort zone, without even realizing it. If you start now, in 6 months you’ll be able to look back and see how far you’ve already come. 

PRETTY COOL, HUH?

The best way to start freeing yourself from your comfort zone is to do one small thing a day that scares you a little bit. If you are REALLY freaked out by this idea, then start with one thing a week, or one thing every other day. But make sure after the first month you commit to stepping out more frequently. 

Simple things like smiling at a stranger, or saying “hi, how are you?” to your Starbucks barista, will slowly get you moving in the right direction, without making you feel like you’re diving into the deep end. 

I encourage you to think of some ways you can start stepping outside of your comfort zone today. After a while it becomes fun, and not so scary. 

Comment below with your comfort zone struggles, or things you like to do to make sure you’re stepping outside of it!

love + abundance

kelly xx