“Fear and anxiety many times indicates that we are moving in a positive direction, out of the safe confines of our comfort zone, and in the direction of our true purpose.” ― Brain Drain: The Breakthrough That Will Change Your Life, Charles F. Glassman
When you hear the term “step outside of your comfort zone,” you may catch a glimmer of a poster hanging in a corporate office kitchen. You may remember a motivational coach saying it as part of a speech to uplift employees and make them feel inspired again. Well, not all of it has to feel and sound cheesy. Stepping outside of your comfort zone is a profound concept that can promote personal growth.
How to step outside of your comfort zone, you ask? By taking risks and by dabbling in challenges and opportunities that originally made you feel uncomfortable or incapable of doing something. When you test yourself, you can optimize your performance.
When we find ourselves settled into our comfort zones, we feel settled and we enjoy the security this safe space offers us. Together with this security is comfort in the familiar, and in this space, we feel we have the power to control what is in our lives (we are fearful of what we cannot control).
While there is no harm in staying put in your comfort zone and it can provide you with a constant flow of performance, which is nothing more than average, when you get out of your comfort zone, you perform even better. Being made to feel a tinge of uncertainty, whether by force or choice, can catapult us into achieving the goals in our life that we thought we would never reach.
So, venturing out of your comfort zone means taking a risk, and this may induce feelings of stress and anxiety. Some individuals may feel so uncomfortable with this idea that they stay in their comfort zone (and never leave). But what happens to those who step forward and embrace the unknown?
The people who venture forward into the unknown are susceptible to stress (usually in small amounts for a short period) but the stress is easily trumped, and catapults us into reaching your goals and growing as an individual.
What is most important to remember is that you do not need to push yourself 24/7, but every now and again. Remember, just as you can exit your comfort zone, it is also a good thing to be able to re-enter it.
How to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
How we grow is by facing our fears and stepping outside of our comfort zone. Many can be afraid to take those first few precarious steps. But once you do, and take my word for it, you will be beyond thrilled that you stripped yourself of your chains and started living.
Carolyn Ziel, a holistic coach, wrote about the science of not staying in your comfort zone and recommends asking yourself these three questions to understand your zone.
Here are a few ways how you can step out of your comfort zone. And no, it does not include skinny dipping in the ocean, but you are more than welcome to try it. (I’ve heard it is a liberating experience.)
Be Mindful of What Is Beyond Your Comfort Zone
Are there any things in your life that you have considered doing but have been too afraid of doing? Is it because you are fearful of failure or being left feeling disappointed?
What Are You Hoping to Overcome?
The best plan of action is to draw up a list of everything that you want to do but consider outside of your comfort zone. It can be as simple as asking somebody on a date or riskier like wanting to go bungee jumping. How is your fearfulness unique to each situation? Once you review the reasons, you will be able to quell any uncertainties.
Get Used to Feeling Slightly Uncomfortable
The statement above sounds worse than what it is really. You need to make a point of not fleeing in the opposite direction when leaving your comfort zone. If situations, such as meeting people make you nervous, try socializing for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, gradually increase the time, and you will soon be the life of the party (or at the very least, more comfortable around people).
Failure Is a Lesson Learned
Shaking in your boots because you are afraid to fail? Don’t be. The minute you shift your perspectives and see potential lessons in failing you will no longer be so fearful of embracing the unknown.
Take Little, Teeny, Weeny Steps
Take it from the experts: it is often a lot wiser to slowly navigate your way through the unknown than diving in headfirst. By taking baby steps, you will get used to how stepping outside of your comfort zone feels. If you choose to go head first (and too fast), you may become so overwhelmed that you never again leave your comfort zone.
Buddy Up
We all have those people in our lives who we admire for their tenacious spirit. If you want to become better at something, who better to do it with than those risk-takers in your life?
Stop Making Up Excuses
We tend to avoid situations and make up excuses as to why we cannot do something. For instance, how many times have you said you cannot do something because you do not have the time, do not know how, or do not know anybody? Just be honest with yourself; you are afraid and that, my friend, is an absolutely normal reaction. No judgment!
Why So Serious?
Do not take yourself so seriously. Life is about the little things. Most importantly, smile or laugh at some of the mistakes you make.
Seek the Positives
Educate yourself on all the benefits that flying from your golden cage can give you. It may boost your professional and/or personal growth. Either way, it will change your life and serve you well!
Fun, Fun, Fun All the Way
Enjoy every moment of venturing out beyond the borders of your comfort zone. You may stumble across something that ignites your passion and breathes new life into you.
Do Not Pick the Safe Route
The next time you are faced with a challenge or opportunity, do not settle for the easiest option. The riskier option is always the one that will teach you more and present larger rewards in the sphere of things.
Submerge Yourself in the New
Begin with small changes so you don’t feel too unsettled at once. Consider eating out at a restaurant you are not familiar with or see a show that you were never interested in. These small changes can lead you to make bigger ones further down the line.
Say Yes
Be inclined to say yes more often. We often steer clever by saying yes because we are uneasy with the potential outcome our answer may have on our comfort. Be confident enough to say yes to things even when you are unsure of how to go about them or if you have never done them before.
Focus on the Future
Tomorrow is always a new day. It helps you to remember that what did not kill you does make you stronger and more equipped to handle trials and tribulations further along. The promise of tomorrow is important to keep in mind when challenging yourself.
Do It, Do Not Procrastinate
It does not have to be a choice between life and death. The choice can be as simple as deciding where to go out over the weekend. Make a choice that is different from your usual routine but still within its perimeters. Do not overthink; just do!
Check-In With Your Old Self
When you accomplish something, the reason you did is that you took a stance of bravado. When you are feeling uncertain, revisit your past accomplishments. Hopefully they inspire you enough to take on the new and unfamiliar.
Fake It to Make It
Act as if you are comfortable with the challenge presented in front of you. It will then be easier to step outside of your comfort zone. Try acting like somebody who you know will dive right in when faced with something that makes you uncomfortable. The idea is that once you do it, you will soon realize that it was not all that bad and that you are far more capable than what you imagined yourself to be.
Break It Down Into Bite-Sized Pieces
If you are feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by an opportunity, it is best to break it down into bite-sized pieces. Break the challenge down into manageable parts that you can overcome easily and with little discomfort. Make the process one that has many steps; with each step taken, you will soon reach your goal.
Do Your Research
You may be reluctant to face a new opportunity or challenge because you feel that you know very little about it. Read up online, in books, or in magazines about the challenge. Educate yourself about all there is to know. This can help you to feel more prepared and knowledgeable. It may help guide you on what steps to take and why. When you have risen to the occasion, you may even feel motivated to encourage others to do the same. Be sure to remind yourself why you feel you want to take up the challenge and consider how it will make you feel when you do finally succeed.
Time to Challenge Yourself
Remember the game you use to place as children called “truth or dare”? Well, challenging yourself to explore the areas outside of your comfort zone is a lot like this game.
We have compiled a four-week challenge to invest your time into and motivate you to try different things. We dare you!
| Week One | Week Two | Week Three | Week Four | |
| Monday | Do something you hate. | Apologize to someone. | Take the stairs for the day. | Compliment someone. |
| Tuesday | Ask your friends what they truly think of you. | Wake up 30 minutes earlier and spend the time reading. | Kick your fast-food habit for one month. | Smile at 10 strangers. |
| Wednesday | Ask your work colleagues for feedback. | Smile at five strangers. | Take a class in something new. | Follow a vegetarian diet for one week. |
| Thursday | Give away something that is dear to you but no longer needed. | Try food from a different country. | Make something with your hands or draw a picture. | Write down five things you are grateful for. |
| Friday | Smile at three strangers. | Start a journal. | Write down five goals you have in life and how you hope to achieve them. Give them a deadline. | Learn to say “please” and “thank you” in a foreign language. |
| Saturday | Clean out your closet. | Stay away from social media for a week. | Smile at seven strangers. | Apply for three jobs (even if just for fun). |
| Sunday | Switch off all electronic devices, including your mobile for one hour. | Cook something new. | Bake something new. | Save 5% of your salary. |
The Upside of Taking the Road Less Traveled
A dash of stress mixed with excitement never did anybody any harm. It can actually be a good thing; see it as the spice of life. If we spend our days wrapped up, cozied away from the real world, we can miss plenty of opportunities that can profoundly change our lives for the better.
Remember this, a butterfly starts its life out as a humble worm, until a time comes when it spins a cocoon for itself. Eventually, after some time, it breaks from those binds and is able to lift itself up, away from the ground and be transported over open spaces. It has the chance to explore new places and taste the nectar of sweet flowers. Something that the worm only dreamt of doing.
Here are a few benefits to stepping outside of your comfort zone. See them as a way in which you can coax your beliefs into allowing you to explore the outer perimeters of your comfort zone.
- You can deal with change better than most. One thing is that life is not consistent. It changes like the weather and ocean tides. Transitions are about change. Every time you take a step forward, you move to another stage of your life. When you do this, you inevitably alter your life. If you grow accustomed to taking risks and venturing past your comfort zones, you can adapt faster when change does come knocking.
- The life you want to live is in your hands. When we step outside of our comfort zones, we realize that our real-life was right there for the taking the whole time. This life is beyond the cocoon of your own beliefs, thoughts, and feelings. The “real” version of your life is the grand total of all your past experiences and not only the ones that made you feel comfortable.
- You will grow from your experiences. By exploring the outer reaches of your comfort zone, you will have the opportunity to learn. Even if you fail at something the first few times, you now have a clear, plotted-out map to reach your goals. There is no such thing as the word fail, but there is: FIRST ATTEMPT IN LEARNING – and that right there is a wonderful thing!
- You can uncover your untapped knowledge. You will never be able to fully understand who you are if you are not able to take a few risks here and there.
- It fires up your life-skills. Each time you explore the regions beyond your comfort zones you are growing and learning things about yourself and the world around you. You automatically expand your life-skills and can encourage a sense of compassion, which is a very important quality to possess.
- Distinguishes you from the group. When you take on new opportunities, it builds confidence within yourself and the choices you make in the future. When you learn how to step out of your comfort zone, you are no longer defined as a follower but as a leader.
“Real change is difficult at the beginning, but gorgeous at the end. Change begins the moment you get the courage and step outside your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ― Roy T. Bennett
Are Your Comfort Zones Holding You Back?
Have you ever felt that you are not where you want to be in life? It happens from time to time and is a common human feeling. This may be because you are firmly planted within your comfort zone.
It is quite easy to merrily go along with life and cause the least stress and worry. To determine if your comfort zone is holding you back, consider the following:
- You won’t be able to discover who you truly are. When you do stray from your comforts, you may have the potential to be somebody even greater, and you may learn a lot about yourself along the way.
- You cannot grow. If you choose to follow the path everybody takes, you will never have the opportunity to grow on a personal scale. Think about all the experiences you could have if you stepped off the path and into another direction?
- You end up postponing your goals. When faced with a challenging scenario, you step back into your comfort zone, reluctant to meet it head-on. This is a big problem when it comes to reaching the goals you have in mind for yourself. Having goals in your life is pivotal, and often, they will challenge us from time to time and ask that we venture beyond our comfort zones to achieve them.
- You can lose a part of yourself to the familiar. When you are all huddled up in your comfort zone, you may not feel like there are any dangers around. What you do not realize is that the comfort you feel is a danger unto itself. Staying put for too long can cause boredom and you may wind up plodding along through life, just another number. What you do not see is that by staying put, you are limiting yourself to embracing new parts about yourself, people around you, and the world outside. You can lose the ability to crest a meaningful life.
- You can lose your way. You can get lost if you always follow the crowd. Life is a lot more exciting when you are growing, learning, and testing yourself. When you are stuck in your zone, those experiences fall away and you become part of an autonomic crowd, all headed in the same direction in life.
- Dreams are made beyond your comfort zone. When you embrace the unknown, you can begin to feel what living is really like. Dreams do not grow when planted in a predictable environment. When you step away from your comfort zone, you expand your knowledge and dreams begin to flourish and the yearning to know more grows.
Consider the following reasons as to why it is so hard to step outside of your comfort zone, as explained by Professor Andy Molinsky.
Why Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone Needs to Become a Habit
The humble human being, a creature of habit. Yep, that is us in a nutshell. Think about it for a moment. We visit a handful of restaurants and rarely try others. Our stomachs grumble around the same time each day. We sleep until a particular time in the morning, and go to bed at a particular time in the evening.
There is nothing wrong with those regular routines. But when was the last time you tested yourself and skirted the edges of your comfort zone?
Did you know that if you choose to step outside of your comfort zone you can build emotional resilience and become more creative? Those who do this hold the upper hand on cognitive abilities than those who choose to play it safe. The same applies in the work arena.
Creativity
The most profound ideas often do not occur to us because they happen to be right under our noses, but we require a fresh set of eyes to happen across them. When you try new things, you gain perspective and broaden your mindset, allowing you to see things in different ways and then settle upon one which will serve you the best.
The most innovative individuals in today’s world are those who chose a different path, one which steered them away from their comfort zones even though they were afraid of failure; they took the risk and it paid off. This is a very important concept to consider for individuals who find themselves working for large corporate companies.
By trying new things and approaching new ways of thinking, the door to innovation and launching new concepts stand wide open for those who choose to explore its realms and find success.
Emotional Resilience
Finding success and gaining it is a journey with no clear start or finishing line. When you become successful, regardless if it is within your personal life or career, the goalposts move. We tend to challenge ourselves with new opportunities and experiences to be had. This also allows our comfort zones to expand.
When our comfort zones grow across areas of your life that you once found hard to settle with, it means you build a tolerance towards what was once scary and no longer is. Things that may have appeared frightening before become normal. You build the capacity at which you can deal with things that can potentially catapult you to grow in your personal and professional life.
Helps You to Age Better
Sadly, our comfort zones become more tightly knit as we get older and the room to take on new opportunities and challenges may appear less. This is untrue though and simply mind over matter. As the saying goes, “age is just a number.” If you continue to expand your comfort zone, the likelihood of feeling fulfilled is improved as the grey hair begins to set in.
A study that was done in 2013 indicated that if you continue to learn and expand on your life-skills, it can support your mental sharpness as you age.
Will You Hear the Call to Wake-Up?
Will you hear this wake-up call? Or will it be like the last time when you caught yourself thinking, “What am I doing?” We often reply with a “maybe next time,” but now is the time to make a concentrated change and dip your toes into the pool of the unknown.
We have two distinct choices to choose from, they are:
- Live reactively. We live within our comfort zones, waiting for the moment that something comes along and pops that bubble. And when this does happen, it can cause more stress and anxiety than if we chose to grasp new opportunities and challenges.
- Live actively. When you take initiative, you create the discipline needed to manage your fear but to also embrace the unknown and use it to your advantage to better your life. When you overcome your fears, the next time something comes along that is similar, it will not feel as though your life is in disarray or under threat. You can use the next opportunity as a stepping-stone to achieving what you want in life.
It won’t be easy when the next challenge comes up in your life, but I encourage you to muster up the courage and embrace it!
Related Questions and Answers
Is it better to take a risk or play it safe?
Playing it safe means you will not stumble, but it also means you will not rise above what you know. Playing it safe may actually be the biggest risk you take and may hamper you from reaching your true potential.
Are those who step out of their comfort zones happier?
The answer is yes. Those who explore the outer regions of their comfort zones have the potential to be happy in their life, more so than those who do not explore new challenges and opportunities. It is essential to help us know who we are.
You can pay a hefty price for your fears of failing. Challenges and opportunities are obstacles that we can navigate through and these can lead to unsurpassed growth within us. When you step off the beaten path and onto a new one, you can expect to evolve in areas of your life and potentially in areas of your work too. Success can be achieved through taking risks, and leaving your comfort zone is one way to reach your goals.
A dash of anxiety has been proven by psychologists to be the motivating factor we need in our lives to rise to the occasion and succeed. Be that young, free-spirited child you once were and embrace the new, undiscovered, and exciting aspects of life!