As we grow up and go through the journey of life, we take up new habits and routines and values. We settle into a way of life that we are comfortable with. This soon turns into a comfort zone which has been defined as a psychological state in which things feel familiar to you, things are at ease and you are in control of your environment. It's that zone where you feel low levels of anxiety and stress.
However majority of us want more than what we currently have, we feel we can be better but somehow, out of fear have ignored those feelings and encouragement from people. We often just get comfortable where we are and do nothing about our goals. Well while you lay down on the sofa and fold your arms, poverty is strongly and desperately knocking on your door and unknowingly, you are opening the door and inviting it in(Prov 6:10-11). More so, as you you're enjoying your rest and stress free life in your comfort zone, thousands of people are seizing the opportunity and changing their lives and creating success simply because they did not ignore their desires but walked out of their comfort zones. They ignored all discouraging and criticizing voices that came from within and without and forged ahead disregarding the discomfort.
The comfort zone sounds like a good place to be in but it's also a dangerous place. We remain in this zone because it takes energy to move into motion. But that's not the only thing. Remaining in your comfort zone keeps you from growing, discovering what you're passionate about and conditioning you to settle. It also ensures that you're left behind your equals. Simply put, the comfort zone is a relaxing atmosphere that prevents you from improving, stops you from achieving your life goals and makes your life miserable.
We all have come across a time in our life where we have this great plan we want to carry out or a big dream we have but we worry about how to actualize it. It happens to the best of us but in spite of all criticisms and naysayers you have to keep going. It is always easy to stay inside our comfort zone and blame external factors for the way our life has turned out. But you know what, these forces don't care. Things are not going to just hang around waiting on you to make up your mind. In order to experience change in your life, you have to make a decision to change your life, move out of your comfort zone and do something different.
As long as we're living, we have that opportunity to make a change. We have a choice to end a bad habit and routine and start something positive that can improve our life. If we desire anything, step out of your comfort zone and do something and you'll achieve it. Understand and accept that your current lifestyle is doing you no good and choose to change it. Where ever you may be at this point, you have all you need to change the direction your life is going.
How to overcome your comfort zone
Moving away from your comfort zone can be achieved when you lower whatever resistance that is holding you back from taking a step forward. But as you step out of this zone, you slowly begin to build confidence in yourself. You can also use the following as a guideline;
1) make a list of all you have been procrastinating. This could range from taking walks or jogging to loose weight, eating fruits to help you stay healthy, writing and sending out job applications and following them up, going out to meet new people to widen your connections, embarking on a research to know more about that business you want to start up, taking the first step outlined in your business plan, etc.
2) start by doing one of the smallest things on the list you've made. It can be as little as a change in your wake up time, surfing the net to just look around and find out what's going on in your industry.
3) keep doing them little by little. As you do the small items on your list, you gain the confidence and energy to do the bigger ones. The ability to step out of your comfort zone is like building a habit. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.
4) understand the influencers in your life who have made contributions in shaping and conditioning your comfort zone and overcome them. Expose yourself to a new environment outside your comfort zone. You can do a volunteer work.
5) change the habits, behaviors and routines associated with your comfort zone. This can be achieved by challenging yourself from time to time, do not rely on your limited point of view and try to see things the way others see them.
Conclusion
You can never have all you need to achieve your goals and dreams at once but you can use what you have at the moment and do what you can do. More of the resources you need will come along the line. Put a little more trust in yourself and in God and step out of your comfort zone, God will never let you down so long as you're in his will for your life.
"To move to a new level in your life, you must break through your comfort zone and do things that are not comfortable".
T. Harv Eker
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