Getting out of your Comfort Zone

I like to be comfortable. In fact, I have to admit that being comfortable is one of my top 8 core values! I believe that I am not alone in this sentiment. Most of us like to exist and work in and from our comfort zones. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be comfortable but quite often, this desire can get in the way of creating change and transformation in our lives. 

Some common synonyms of comfortable are cozy, easy, restful, and snug. While all these words mean "enjoying or providing a position of contentment and security," comfortable applies to anything that encourages serenity, well-being, or complacency as well as physical ease.

Any kind of meaningful change we want to make in our lives will almost certainly take us out of our comfort zone. Some examples of meaningful change might include:

• Getting married / Getting divorced

• Moving to a new city or country

• Buying your first home

• Making a new type of investment

• Taking on a new job / Changing your career / Starting a new business

• Starting a new activity like dancing, performing in community theater, or starting to play a new sport like pickleball.

• Giving a public speech

• Giving up addictive behaviors (smoking, drinking, gambling, etc.)

So for those of us who like to be comfortable, what are some effective ways of getting through this to create meaningful change in our lives?

Try this… Draw a picture of your Comfort Zone. What’s inside your comfort zone? What do you hold on to to bring you comfort? Now add what is a little bit outside your comfort zone. Not too uncomfortable but a little bit risky. Then add in what feels like way way out of your comfort zone - what feels overly scary, overwhelming, unattainable, etc. 

Then follow these steps:

1. Acknowledge that you like to be comfortable and that it is important to you and also that you are willing to go outside of your comfort zone to learn something new or create significant change in your life.

2. Visualize and mentally practice the change you want to make or the new thing you want to do.

3. If something is in the way-out-there zone, break it into smaller steps and take one at a time.

4. Practice doing the new thing until it no longer feels uncomfortable. Then take the next step and repeat.

Pretty soon, you’ll be doing those new things or being in a new way that used to seem daunting or even impossible.