Written by Sadie Brooks, Guest Writer
Comfort zones are beloved by all—they feel safe, secure and allow you to be stress-free. However, spending too much time in your little bubble will prevent you from experiencing many amazing things. When you’re stuck in your own ways, you can miss many opportunities, skip many connections and prevent yourself from experiencing all the wonders of the world. Luckily, our comfort zones are mostly made in our heads and we can leave them whenever we want. If you need some help on this endavour, here are a few small changes you can make in your life to improve it immensely:
Do one thing you’ve always wanted to do
We all have something, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant, that we wanted to do for ages yet haven’t had a chance to do. Check out your bucket list and make a vow to do one thing from it this year. Maybe you wanted to learn how to play the guitar, do zip lining or pet a horse—no matter what it is, it will show you that many things are possible when you choose to take a plunge.
Do something good for your career
We can get mighty comfortable at work and choose not to take any risks that might switch up our routines. Unfortunately, this comfort at work can rob you of many new business opportunities. If you want to challenge your comfort zone in the office, try to sign up for a course that will help you learn a new skill and give you a better competitive advantage. Or you might simply choose to state your ideas in a meeting or stand up to your colleagues more.
Talk to a stranger
Wait, isn’t this something your mother warned you not to do? Of course, you’re not going to talk to a suspicious person in a dark alley, but striking a conversation with a new colleague, chatting with a friendly bartender or exchanging a few words with your neighbor might be great for your confidence and social anxiety. New people have so much to offer and they can enrich our worlds in ways we can’t even imagine. So if you often avoid socialization with new people, leave your comfort zone to do it anyway, and you won’t regret it.
Say “yes” more often
If you’re a person that’s stuck in your comfort zone, you might be hesitant to try new things. Let’s change that in an easy and effective way. Make a conscious effort to say more “yeses” in your everyday life. If your friends invite you to a concert or if you get offered to try new food, your automatic reaction might be to say “no” but make that a “yes” more often and you’ll notice how much more colorful life can get. There are so many amazing things out there that are just waiting for you to experience them, so don’t miss a chance to get all the flavors of life.
Take on a fitness challenge
If you’re new to the world of fitness but want to improve your health, endurance, strength and aesthetics, why not try a fitness challenge? These usually take between 15 and 30 days and can push you slowly but surely to try new fitness movements and improve your grasp of exercising. If you’re feeling really brave and adventurous, you can join your local gym and do your daily exercises there, but if you want to stay at home, you simply need a few equipment pieces and that’s it. And if you manage to find the best bench for home gym, you’ll see that it takes up very little space yet allows you to perform full-body workouts. It’s a great investment that will help you get out of your comfort zone every day.
Go on a trip
Traveling is one of the best joys of life, so don’t let your little bubble of comfort keep you in place. Try to book a small vacation away from home or organize a road trip for you and your friends or family. This trip doesn’t have to last two weeks—a few days is all you need to refresh your brain, experience new things and recharge. Trips can be planned extensively if that’s going to make you feel better, so you can expect minimal surprises. On the other hand, you can also do little to no planning and have a true adventure—the choice is completely yours.
Take up a new hobby
It’s easy to try new things you’re good at. If you’re great at golf, you might try to do baseball or hokey, which are great. However, even if you’re trying something different, you’re still staying in your comfort zone of ball and bat. A true excursion from your bubble of safety would be to try a hobby that you have no previous experience in. Athletes might benefit from taking up art, an artist might choose to learn a new language, etc. A new hobby you know doesn’t fit your previous experience will be the true test of your adjustment skills.
Give compliments
People who suffer from social anxiety might find it hard to take compliments, as well as give them when deserved. Try to leave your little bubble and award compliments to people around you. This will not only make other people’s day but also give you the confidence to communicate, express your thoughts and show emotion. Next time you want to award someone a polite compliment when you feel the need to say something,
Try to meditate
How can staying in your room, closing your eyes and relaxing can be considered “leaving your comfort zone”? Well, once you try to sit alone with your thoughts, you can see that it’s more challenging than expected. Meditation pushes you to be calm, open and mindful, which is something many people hiding in their little bubbles fear doing. If you’re up for a challenge, you can try meditating at the start of your day or doing some mindfulness exercises before bed.
The idea of leaving your comfort zone might sound scary, but the most fun and valuable things happen outside of your little bubble. Even if you’re scared, try doing some of these things above and you’ll see how much they improve your mental, emotional and physical health.
About the Author
Sadie Brooks is a journalist graduate, travel aficionado, and someone with endless curiosity. Lives in San Francisco, and enjoys reading, cooking, and comedy songs.
“Run from what’s comfortable. Be notorious”
You can follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/SadieBr97057042
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