OK, so calling comfort zones the devil could be a bit ahem, strong. Maybe.
Comfort is a good thing. We all want it. Whether it’s your shoes, your jeans, your bed, your finances we all seek some sort of comfort. I remember moving to L.A. and having to start all over with my career. I was in the struggle for real. When you jump into the job market out here looking to work in entertainment – it’s feast or famine. Everybody out here wants what you want. You are literally competing with millions. That was a scary feeling. I wanted it so bad though. I wanted to get to a place of achieving my dream. I did it. I found work in my field doing exactly what I wanted. Then came the fight to stay. To prove myself. Once I accomplished that, I was comfortable. That comfort was good for a while. Then it wasn’t.
The thing is when I get comfortable. I get antsy. I feel like I need to switch something up. I found that I missed the old me. I didn’t miss the struggle but I missed my hunger and my passion for it. I started to lose it. I decided to go on a rediscovery mission. It was not an easy decision. There’s a lot to be said for comfort. There’s this sense of security in it. Knowing what’s next, being used to a routine – that was comfortable. It wasn’t enough anymore though.
In shedding my comfort zone, I let go of the entertainment world. Scary. I became a stay at home mom. Scary. I dove into my passion of motivating other mothers. Scary. I’m starting a business. WTF Scary! All completely out of my comfort zone. The thing is, it’s bringing out the best in me. I have been taking my time and slowly building this space. Whenever I talk to someone about it the first word that comes from their mouth is passion. Everyone tells me how passionate I am about what I’m doing here. It’s true and I’m glad it’s coming through. I’d like to believe this quote is true… 😉
There’s nothing easy about stepping out of your comfort zone. The thing is, that’s where the magic is!
Here are three ways to kick your comfort zone to the curb:
- Choose to do something different. It could be anything you choose. Just something to upset the apple cart a bit. See how that change makes you feel. You never know, this “new” way make work for you!
- What are your fears? Pick one. Face it. You may even want to take baby steps and work your way up to it. But get there. It will help you become more comfortable with taking risks.
- You’re going to be nervous when stepping out of your comfort zone. Feel that fear and do it anyway.
Tell me, what’s the last thing you’ve done to push you out of your comfort zone?