Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone Leads To Personal Growth

Hanging out in your comfort zone can be somewhat addictive.  Why? Because you know what to expect there. You  know how to act and what to say.  You know what it looks like and you can relax there.  Life is easy and you’re happy in your comfort zone.  So, why would you ever step out of your comfort zone?  I’ll give you one great reason. Stepping out of your comfort zone leads to personal growth and that’s something that you need.

I know. I know.

You don’t want to think about that.

As I said, it’s familiar & easy where you are right now, but staying permanently in your comfort zone means that you don’t grow as a person.  You’re stuck.  Maybe you feel that’s a good thing, but maybe not.  You might never know if you don’t leave that comfort zone.

Try new things every once in awhile.

In contrast, stepping out of your comfort zone means trying new things.  It might mean that you are in an unfamiliar place or that you are eating new food.  It might mean learning new skills or starting a new job.  Whatever it looks like for you, when is the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone?

Even when you’re not happy with a situation, you stay in that situation just because you’re comfortable there.  Are you really thriving when that happens?  

I don’t think so.  It seems to me that you’re just surviving.  You’re scared of what change might look like.  So, instead of taking a step forward and getting out of your comfort zone, you stay right where you are in life.

Stepping out of your comfort zone can become a habit.

This way of growing became a bit of a habit for me when I started yoga therapy training in 2015. It was a major step out of my comfort zone as I learned to do things which were just not in my normal daily life. I learned how to work with people in a new ways. I also learned to video my sessions & how to critique those same sessions so that I could get even better.

It seemed that I was constantly stepping out of my familiar life during this time period (it took me almost 5 years to finish the training).  With each new step forward out of my comfort zone, I grew in ability and in confidence.  I found I could do things that I didn’t think possible.

That’s the exciting part!

Finding out that you can do something that you never imagined yourself doing is so very empowering.  In my yoga therapy training, I learned that I could do so much more than I thought.  What held me back was being afraid to step out of that comfort zone. I’m so glad that I took that leap and moved forward with my life. Now, I continue to challenge myself with new experiences and ways of learning.

Know when to stay where you are & when to make a change.

All things considered, I would say that there are times when staying in your comfort zone is right where you should be.  That’s where you so often succeed after all.   However, never leaving that place of ease means that you are not growing, evolving or changing. So, get in the habit or checking in with yourself. Are you staying where you are because it’s where you need to be in order to be successful, or are you staying because you’re afraid of what might happen if you try something new?

You’re not alone in your avoidance of change.

In my yoga therapy practice, I work with people who are stuck in that comfort zone.  They often know that they need to make a change in their life, but they’re afraid to make that change.

What I do is help my clients figure out what change would work for them.  Usually, it’s baby steps in a direction that they would like to see themselves go.  Whatever that change is (big or small), it always takes my clients out of their comfort zone.  Paying attention to what they need to do to create change in their life can be hard and actually implementing that change is even harder.  So, my job is to support this process of change and growth.

Making a shift is easier when it’s your own idea.

When someone else tries to force you to do something new, it usually doesn’t go very well. Instead, you’ll feel more empowered when you come up with your own plans for change.   At that point, you often are even looking forward to stepping out of your comfort zone in order to create the change that you need.  While doing this can be scary, it can be incredibly exciting as well.

I know what it feels like to be empowered to take a step that you wouldn’t normally take.  It’s inspiring to realize that you can do things that you previously thought were impossible.

Change and growth in your life all starts with being willing to take just one small step out of that comfort zone. I believe in you! I know that you can take that first step.

But, if you haven’t stepped out of your comfort zone in a long while, that first step is going to be incredibly difficult. Do you know what’s stopping you?

If you’re ready to take that first step, but you’re not sure that you can do it on your own, then let’s chat.

Together, we can get you to move forward with your life & get you growing again!

Remember… you’re never too old to live healthier & happier!

Love & Hugs,

Becky