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Make Life Changes By Leaving Your Comfort Zone
Is there ever a right time to step out of your comfort zone? Have you seen the movie Eat, Pray, Love? At least heard about it?
It is the story of a woman who pursues the things she thinks will bring her happiness. Over the past week, I repeatedly heard stories of people wishing they could get out of their comfort zone to do something in life they love.
For one reason or another, they have found it impossible. I heard: “It is not the right time”, “I can’t fit this into my kid’s schedule”, “my husband couldn’t handle it”
So when is the right time to step out of your comfort zone? To take risks? Change things up in your life?
Now. Now is always the right time to make yourself happy.
What Is The Comfort Zone?
Simply put, these are activities or things you do that do not change your anxiety level. Mostly things you do daily. Cooking, watching TV, going to the gym, writing….your routine.
Leaving your comfort zone is often tied to an increase in anxiety levels due to uncertainty. Ahhhh……….fear of the unknown. The what if? Familiarity is comfortable and enjoyable so we gladly stay in our comfort zones.
So how do you do something new that will bring you happiness if you are not willing to step out of your comfort zone?
Exiting The Zone…
I love to travel. Every time I travel to a new country or city, I am stepping out of my comfort zone.
It makes it even harder when travelling to a non-English speaking country. However, it encourages my curiosity about the world and life. It is exciting. I motivate myself by thinking of all the good things I will learn from the experience. It is another step on my journey of personal growth. Don’t allow your habits and fear hold you back. Trust me.
Do you like to meet new people and discover new places, cultures or activities? If you do, make plans to see a small town or city close to home that you have never been to.
Start small – no need to go climbing the Himalayas tomorrow. Let’s not get crazy. Eat something unusual. By that I mean, if you usually eat meat, go for fish. Change up your music for a few days. Think of it as re-balancing your life. Read a book that doesn’t fit your usual taste. Right now I am reading Charles Bukowski’s Post Office. It is hilarious!
To Sept Out Of Your Comfort Zone, You Need To Take Chances
Many times growing up and right into adulthood, situations forced me out of my comfort zone. It was tough every single time, but you know what? The process is quicker than when you procrastinate. Stop finding all the reasons and excuses not to. Start taking chances.
It is essential in order for you to grow, so don’t stay wrapped in your cocoon.
You will experience a new and different kind of freedom. Just try it. Even if only for a week at first. See how you feel.
When you make an effort to try new things you expand your life experience. The universe will see that you’re ready for opportunities and will make those opportunities happen.
Ready To Make A Change?
Can you find that bit of bravery to leave the comfort of your everyday life? Exit the comfort zone?
What would you do? Any changes you would make? Interesting things to pursue?
I would love to hear about your experiences. Share them with me in the comments section below.
68 comments
The fear of the unknown use to be a huge issue in my life. Thankfully, I learned to step out of my comfort zone, and I never regret it when I do. This is so good. Loved hearing your thoughts
xoxo,
Angelle
Yes! Love this post. Such a great and important reminder. And that quote gets me every time 🙂
I”m a huge advocate for getting out of my comfort zone. One of the ways I do it is by doing things alone — no one to hang on to or gravitate towards!
Yes I do! It’s so hard to push yourself out though it’s safe in your comfort zone!
Getting out of your comfort zone is so important!
And be hard to push yourself out of your comfort zone, I know that first hand! But sometimes you’ve just got to take the bull by the horns and go for it, and not let anything hold you back from achieving whatever you want to achieve, however big or small x
I lost my confidence after having kids but when my sister died at the age of 37 I realised I had to really live my life and now there is no stopping me
Agree with everything. I’ve been always been afraid of going out my comfort zone. I’m the kind of person who needs to be pushed to do things that are out of my league. But now that I’m 24 and traveled a lot, I’ve got a change of perspective and heart. I now wanted to go live on a different city that I’ve never been. haha! But I’ll start with small steps first like traveling alone. Can’t wait to do that soon.
I totally believe in this! Very inspiring post!
We must keep updating ourselves or we will get outdated in our cocoons!
I love your advice and encouragement to overcome your anxiety and face your fears. So many adventures to be had.
Thanks for this post. My best decisions in life were ones people didn’t expect me to make! And that’s because I dared to step out of my comfort zone! I would encourage everyone to try this. Also, not ashamed to say that the last books I read were from THE DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series, lol
I have not read those yet Joleisa are they good? I will google and see what it is about. I think stepping out of your comfort zone really does wonders. So glad it worked for you.
I have heard of Eat Love Pray but not yet seen it. I stepped out of my comfort zone last year by going to a non-English speaking country and been enjoying traveling since. Sometimes it’s not easy but take chances one step at a time is the best way
This is such a great reminder! I loved Eat, Pray, Love and found it so inspiring. By the way, that puppy is adorable!!
Stepping out of your comfort zone is so hard sometimes but when you do, you can experience and learn so many new things!
It’s hard for me take a step out of my comfort zone. I’m very social and outgoing, but a part of me holds back.
I really appreciated this post! I grew up a type a protectionist afriad to do anything that reached beyond my safety zone. I’ve finally leaned that life is too short and there will never be a “perfect time”
Comfort zones are just that – places we feel comfortable; however, rarely can we grow, learn, or change if we do not step out of it now and then. This was an enlightening piece. It is true that going to a country where the language is different is outside the zone and it can be educational at the same time.
Me starting my blog, was me deciding to step out of my comfort zone actually. I’ve been wanting to amd wanting but feeling like it was stupid, or whatever. But I finally did it. It may not be successful, but I’ve learned thats ok. Cause it fun for me to do it and its a creative outlet… which I was lacking in my life. 🙂
Fantastic post and great well written. I love reading it. I love to travel too, love to meet new people, new culture or different tradition with different language.
And yes, i was there living in other country for some years which don´t use much english for the main language. But I have challenged to learn a new language.
Thanks for sharing. Have a great day.
Kintan xox,
That is fantastic Kintan! You are in Germany right? Wie geht’s Dir so? Have a great weekend! xoxo
This post is such a wonderful reminder to not just stay comfortable and to try new things! So many things over the past few years have forced me out of my comfort zone but it was such a blessing and blogging has forced me out of my comfort zone even more since 2014 and I’m so grateful for it.
Ellie
This is a great post for reminding me to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new! I especially need that reminder as we head into winter and I tend to go into hibernation mode!
wow great post. Totally agree as well. Need to step out of comfort zone. love your quote – if you want something you never had, we need to do something we never done.
Such a great and inspiring article! You’re so right, girl – Stop finding all the reasons and excuses not to. Start taking chances. Yes! This is it, totally agree! <3
Cheers, Eliza
Stepping out our comfort zone is exciting and quite liberating. However, I do it slowly and not so spontaneously coz I’m avoiding any huge consequences. But it is a nice experience, and helped me grow maturely.
I found myself hiding away last year so I stepped out and went to a group run where I knew no one. Now so many of those people are my closest friends–four of us have even vacationed together! It’s hard but so worth it to step out!
What a great story Allison! You are so brave. I am still on the shy side in joining groups where I know nobody, but I will get better. I am learning and taking steps daily.
I hear ya on that, but everyone is different in there own way and can only take so much. I try my best each day, but I think I’m doing good and being around family and close friends helps for me and also my pets.
I have a really hard time stepping out of my comfort zone. That’s why I ended up getting a dog. I was having problems being social so I got a dog and we go to the dog park every day and I socialize there and we have things to talk about – our dogs!
I think that is great Julie. If that is what helps you then I think you should continue with that. It is a process and I am sure you will do great. What kind of dog do you have?
I’ve heard about Eat. Pray. Love but never really had the chance to watch it. Seems like an interesting movie. I love to travel too but I never really traveled to far places yet. I wanna travel my own town and country before I start travelling other countries and continents. I sound so ambitious because I know this wont happen anytime soon but I’m still hoping it will.
What a great message you have here. To be successful and to achieve our dreams, sometimes, we need to step out of our comfort zone and just take the jump. And a lot of times, we surprise even ourselves of what we’re capable of
Yes Lalaine! I agree completely. We surprise ourselves by doing so much more than we thought!
I always feel it is good to step out of comfort zone & by doing that you are going to find it worthy for sure. Though it is hard to do, the outcome is always going to be a better one.
It’s great to step out of the comfort zone. It’s exhilarating, and you feel like a new person. Thanks for sharing.
That is exactly how I have been feeling Linda!
I remember the time that I moved away from my comfort zone. It is really hard but worth it all!
That’s been my motto for this year to do things I normally wouldn’t. It really does mAke a difference on your mindset.
I totally agree! I used to step out of my comfort time on a regular basis in my corporate career. It was scary sometimes, but felt awesome.
stepping out of your comfort zone doesn’t always have to be drastic. I’ve decided to dye my hair purple… never been that colour before lol.
I love Purple and would love to see your new hair. Please share a pic with me when you have done it.
There will never be a perfect timing for this, if you keep waiting, there will always be excuses. You can’t do it because this, you can’t do it because that. Life will always get in the way! I love that you said that now is the time to do it. Because that’s always how you’re going to start. You always have to start… now.
I loved that movie. Stepping out of your comfort zone can be so difficult and scary. You don’t know what will happen if you don’t try…and trying something new usually involves stepping out into unfamiliar territory.
I often step our of my comfort zone now years ago I would not have done so I would stay in what I felt comfortable. I have taken mission trips, coached church leagues and other things just because I heard this pull to do so
Great points! I know it is always a good thing to get out of your comfort zone.
Hi Sheri, I love my comfort zone (as do most people), but to end up living where I do and married to the man who is my husband I had to spend a lot of time outside of my comfort zone. More recently I had to step outside of my comfort zone to make a trip to the mainland with my Dad, it was a journey I wasn’t looking forward to, but it was a journey I would not have not done (if you get my drift), but I survived and would do it again tomorrow if I had to.
You are right if we want changes we have to step outside of our comfort zone.
#MMBC
It is always time to step out of our comfort zone. It may not always be comfortable but it is good to do now and then
Yes! “If you want something you’ve never had, then you’ve got to do something you’ve never done” girl. So true! As a fellow expat, I can attest to the fact that other countries present different experinces and growth oppertunities.
Being out of your comfort zone is going to happen more likely than not when it comes to experiences in your life. I have found myself second guessing some things that I wanted to try with that fear of what would happen, but I jumped in despite the projects being outside my comfort zone.
I feel like I’m often out of my comfort zone (even though I don’t always talk about things feeling odd to me). Having a podcast means I’m constantly talking to people I don’t know, and while I love it, it’s also a bit unnerving. It’s helped me grow immensely!
I feel like on a daily basis being a mom pushes me out of my comfort level. I am not one to usually do so. Eat, Pray, Love was one of my favorites!
Thank you for writing this post. It couldn’t have come at a better time as I am about to set up my first company and it’s scary and exciting and waaaaay out of my comfort zone! I’m so glad you wrote this and shared with us on #fortheloveofBLOG X
Eat, Pray, Love is one of my fav book and movie. When I decided to move on and move from my hometown, which is in soi big enough, I though about LIz Gilbert and the experiences and sacrifices she made. I definitely take it for example. And you’re right, if you want to experience life, ain’t easier than taking up your chance and getting out of your comfort zone. Getting out of it can be applied to a lot of things. Just mentionning the working out part: it has been a great challenge for me, but I made it, to the point I found the routine working for me, and now I can’t go a day without doing a work out! I feel lazy other wise!
For me, stepping out of my comfort zone right now involves my child. There are just a few things that I am not comfortable with her doing and I have a lot of friends who keep trying to push it.
I’m all about going out of my comfort zone. I love learning and experiencing new things. Now only if I could get hubby to go out of his comfort zone
I used to always stay in my comfort zone when it came to eating. My husband will eat almost anything. But I used to be super super picky (but not anymore). People would tease, make fun, think I was spoiled, or shame me into trying new things (which I never did because who would want to when people are treating you like that!). Over the past year or two, I have stepped out of my comfort zone when it comes to food and I’m not picky anymore. My husband always says, you should try this, you would like it. I do try it, and I do like it hahah. I even tried alligator a few weeks ago!
This is such a great reminder. We are location independent and live a completely unique life traveling all over the US. Yet I still often find myself in ruts and I need to try more new things. I was complaining to my husband the other day that we needed to make sure the kids didn’t lead us into the US tour of amusement parks, arcades and Targets.
Yes! Try new things! I think that sometimes we can get so comfortable in our life, that leaving the comfort zone doesn’t even come to mind! What a great reminder this is to challenge ourselves.
I’ve actually been doing that. I used to feel uncomfortable with a lot of things, I’ve built up my confidence and now I’m actually doing things that I would not have felt comfortable with before.
I love this. I need to step out of my comfort zone more. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut.
It is very hard to step out of your comfort zone but I do believe that sometimes you should do so. It opens up so much possibilities.
I need to start doing for a living what I love in my quiet time… I have been doing what I have been good at for so long I forgot that I should be doing what I love instead. The transition is the hard part…
I take this post as a bit of a challenge! I stepped out of my comfort zone recently and started swimming (I hate being barely dressed in public) but I think I’m going to try and do a few more things that are different!
Great post x If I was to step out my comfort zone would speak more Finnish, as an expat here find it far too easy to use English!
Great post dear! I have read the book and it is so much better than the movie.
Really great post! It is very hard to step out of the comfort zone but I do also believe that sometimes one should do so. It opens great new perspectives and who knows what lies ahead? We can only go and see 🙂
xx Mena
Great post! I too agree that in order to grow you must put yourself into situations that you’re not really used to, whether it’s something small or something significant ☺️
If I was to step out of my comfort zone, it would probably be joining the gym. I’ve struggled with body issues for a while so overcoming this and going to the gym would be a big step for me.