The comfort zone Is a situation in which you do not need to struggle, motivate, learn or risk to continue living"comfortably".
Sometimes that state can be comfortable and allows you to be relaxed and living well. That yes, without advancing or growing. Other times, you could not call it"comfort"because it is really uncomfortable.
Therefore, from Psychology you can see a polarity between the people who are within this zone of comfort. These are the two extremes:
1-The least negative end, in which you are comfortable, although you are not growing or using all your potential.
For example: you have found a job where you get paid more or less well and you carry a comfortable routine.
2-The most negative end, in which your situation is really negative but do not change for security and fear of the unknown. In this case, it is actually a"zone of discomfort"and it would be wrong to call it"comfort".
For example: you live in a destructive partner relationship, you are exploited in your job or you have bad habits.
If you want a better, more exciting or more interesting life, in both cases you would need a change, the second case being much more urgent.
In any case, you will not have the possibility to grow, to live a better quality of life or to opt to live better experiences.
"Your perspective on life comes from the cage in which you are captive." -Shannon L. Alder.
"He who is not brave enough to take risks will achieve nothing in life." - Muhammad Ali .
A good example of getting out of the comfort zone
In 1480, Christopher Columbus He was married and had a son. His comfort zone was to travel through Europe - Italy, England, Portugal, Iceland - and his wife was Felipa Moniz, daughter of the colonizer of the Madeira Islands. That is, he was well-off and had no financial problems.
Later, on August 3, 1492, he left for America, not knowing what was to be found. Imagine, at that time it was believed that towards the west was the end of the world and that there were sea monsters in the oceans. In addition, the sailors were superstitious and believed in curses, which made it even more complicated to be optimistic.
After a hard journey, several mutinous attempts and about to turn around, the cabin boy Rodrigo de Triana gave the famous cry of"land in sight!"And arrived at Guanahani, a small island in the Bahamas. However, Columbus believed that he had arrived in the Indies and that he had gone around the world.
He was named Viceroy and Governor of the Indies, although his government in Santo Domingo was not democratic at all.
Leaving the comfort zone requires discomfort and risk... although you can have your rewards
Jumping out of your comfort circle is by definition an uncomfortable experience, although it can lead to more growth than remaining without"jumping".
Also, due to socialization, they will have educated you in a certain way and people will expect you to act and lead your life in a certain way. On the other hand, your brain looks for comfort, not risk.
These are some cases of temporary discomfort and termination in better life prospects:
- Columbus could have stayed with his wife in Portugal, but he went out to find financing for his trip and finally he did. What he found next was better (though it finally slipped out of his hands).
- Someone who wants to go abroad to work, will feel uncomfortable: look for apartments to live, understand the language, carry the suitcase, get up very early to look for work... However, you will finally have the advantage of knowing a new language, you will have learned to be Autonomous and may have found a better job.
- A girl who leaves her boyfriend 5 years old because she is vague, mistreats her and has no future will have a bad time: she will be alone, she will spend some sad month and she will have to find a new routine. However, then you can live new experiences, meet new people and even find a smart and future partner.
In my case, the first time I went abroad for a year, I was literally afraid. Everything was excuses and I did not know how I was going to develop. However, then it was an amazing experience and now I can travel alone anywhere.
This applies to any area, things you can change in your life or new things you can do: work, activities, relationships, entrepreneurship, travel , Practice new sports, do things safely They scare you ...
10000 excuses for not doing something
The biggest problem when leaving the comfort zone are the excuses. These can be absurd and not based on reality, although you believe them and act accordingly.
You may come to believe that you do not travel to England because you do not know English or that you do not speak to someone because you are not attractive.
About a month ago I invited a friend to dance salsa. They were only going to be a half-hour workshop followed by another half hour of practice. As he tried to convince her, excuses came up like:"I have no rhythm","I have never danced","I am ashamed","I have the foot that comes from an injury"... What I find interesting is that really Believed them and were not real, let's say that their"unconscious"was invented to avoid the initial discomfort that would have to happen.
I know that some part of his brain was invented because he finally agreed, he danced perfectly and even said that he liked and started to find out about the classes they give in the room.
The 7 steps to get out of your comfort zone
1-Know if you are in the comfort zone
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I risk being exposed, vulnerable and being criticized or staying safe for Keep my self-esteem ?
- Looking for new challenges or trying to keep my life without them?
- Do I do what others do or try to find new approaches or challenges?
- Do I prefer to be having a bad time without risk or risk finding something better?
- Do I go for what I want or am I satisfied with what I have?
- Do I focus on what I would like to achieve and live in or do I conform to what others are trying to do?
If your answers to these questions are the second parts of these questions, you are in the comfort zone. Be honest, it's better for you!
2-Begin to do small things differently
A small change can create the discomfort of leaving the comfort zone. Just try them:
- Search for new routes To go study Or work.
- Change your schedules.
- Eat new food.
- Meet or date new people .
- Participate in class or participate in work meetings.
3-Look for an area or activity of your life that supposes a challenging change
Carrying out the previous step, you will be accustomed to feeling discomfort, uncertainty and small challenges.
Now, you can propose a greater challenge that involves a great change in your life and that is a challenge as:
- Learn something Or do new things: swimming, snorkeling, public speaking , Travel, dance, parachute jumping...
- Change jobs or risk going abroad to find a better one. In these cases, do it with head, that is, save to have a mattress for a few months.
- Change destructive relationships or Find new friends .
Remember that in these changes you will be uncomfortable or you will feel uncertainty, although it will be worth it.
What's yours?
4-Get to the roof
Try to reach the ceiling of what you have proposed, try to improve and push you more.
For example, if you have proposed To overcome your scenic panic And you are able to do it in front of 10 people, try to do it with 40, then with 100, then with 500, then with 1000.
5-Come back to your comfort zone
Surely you have heard the news of athletes, singers or actors who retire young and engage in other things.
Some comment that they are not motivated and want to find new challenges in their lives.
When you feel like you've reached the ceiling, look for another challenge or return to the comfort zone for a while to seek a new challenge.
In my opinion it is impossible to always be outside the comfort zone.
If for example, you are traveling to exotic countries 12 months, in the end you will have become accustomed. However, if you travel 1, 2, 5 or 12 months and return to your home, then you can leave again from your comfort zone and you will find it again interesting.
6-Salt again and diversifies
When you find yourself in comfort again, leave again. That is, it returns to point 1 or directly to point 3.
On the other hand, it is good that you diversify and do not"push yourself"in one direction. If you've started talking in public and after 12 months you feel comfortable doing it, look for new challenges like traveling, dancing or learning a language.
As you can see it is a cycle: you jump out of the comfort zone or danger / challenge change and discomfort> get to the roof> return to the comfortable area> go out again.
7-Adopt the habit
Work on this habit and make it part of your way of life and personality. Avoid getting back on your feet and having to hit bottom to motivate you again.
Benefits of leaving the comfort zone
1-Inspire others
When you dare to do something that you did not dare before, you leave the comfort zone, and you inspire others. Who does not risk does not win.
That is leading And if that jump is followed by a vision, you will be a leader that many people will follow.
2-Improve your self-esteem
When you do things that you did not dare before, automatically Improve your self-esteem .
You say to yourself"I dared to be that","I am brave", your vision of yourself is more positive. And not only that, but it is exponential, because then you dare to do things even more difficult.
3-You will not regret it
In Andalusia There is the saying"weighs more than remorse".
Surely you will regret more for not doing something to do it. So try to do or get what you would like.
If you at least try, you will not regret it.
4-You will gain control over your life
When you realize that you can get out of your routine or the way you have been dictated and choose yours, a light is turned on your head and you think"I can build my life, I have control over it".
Also, have control over what happens in your life or work Decrease stress , Improves well-being And increases motivation.
5-You will have access to a better life and better experiences
The idea is to jump to something better, not hit a jump to get you into a worse life.
As you know which way to go, there are many chances to improve and have a better life.
If you do not know what decision to take, You can visit this article .
And what are you doing to get out of your comfort zone?