Moving out of your comfort zone

On learning & growth

Learning and growth happen outside of our comfort zones. While most of us know this, we may find it very challenging to apply it.

Those of us who have tried it, know that we have grown as a result. And have had experiences we never thought would be possible.

In this post, I will examine reasons why getting out of your comfort zone can be difficult. And what you can do about it.

The Stumbling Blocks :

A. We get complacent : Let's face it, comfort zones feel good. And need no effort.

If we don't have the association of people who challenge us to change or grow, we may never feel the need to seek our potential. This impedes our growth and is not good for us in the long run.

“A ship is always safe at the shore. But that is not what it is built for.” - Albert Einstein

B. Fear of failure or rejection : This can keep us from trying anything new or having a different experience than we are accustomed to.

“Don’t fear failure. Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail.” - Bruce Lee

C. Labels imposed on us by others: We may be labeled as the person who never plays a sport, or a person who doesn't interact with others, or someone afraid of heights etc. etc. These labels can stick to us and start influencing our behaviour in ways that make change seem impossible.

“Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality.” - Les Brown

D. Dis-empowering beliefs about ourselves : Putting a limit to what we can achieve, try or learn can stop us from having new experiences, or moving beyond what we think is possible for us.

“If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”- Bruce lee

Ways to overcome this :

A. Prioritize growth : Instead of seeking comfort, seek growth. Asking yourself often, "how can I grow through this?", can help you face uncomfortable experiences with greater ease.

“You don't just wake up and become the butterfly. Growth is a process.” - Rupi Kaur

B. Follow your heart : It's easy to get carried away by other people's opinion on what you can, cannot, should, or should not do.

It's also easy to be misled by your own mind on what's right, wrong, appropriate or inappropriate. Trust your heart. And go after what you feel will bring you joy. Life is too short to hold back and deny yourself extra ordinary life experiences.

So, take up that new skill you have been meaning to acquire. Reach out to people, who you find a connection with. Write that book or execute that idea that's been buzzing in your head.

Give it a shot. You have nothing to lose. Only to gain from trying, learning & growing.

“Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction.” - Rumi

C. Cultivate empowering beliefs : It is ok to fail, to be rejected, to make mistakes.

Experiences of all kinds are necessary and help us evolve into better individuals capable of handling whatever life throws at us with grace.

So instead of pushing out experiences for fear of going through difficult emotions, learn to embrace them.

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default.” - J K Rowling

An example from my own life on how moving out of my comfort zone helped me change and possibly, grow:

As an Independent Group Fitness Instructor I have had to do my own promotions. I had always hesitated with this. I wasn't comfortable putting myself out there for other people to see and maybe even judge. I had built most of my clientele through referrals and word of mouth instead of any overt advertising. And I remained like that for the longest time.

But a little self talk on how it was essential to talk about my work, and build my own brand by putting my face upfront, helped me adopt a different attitude. Over time, I have not only gotten comfortable with this, but have also found joy in expressing myself freely. For who I am and what I have to offer.

Some student stories on how moving out of their comfort zones helped them grow:

“I had always thought that I wasn't capable of doing high impact moves because of my age. When I reexamined this belief, I realized it was just something I told myself that didn't serve me. I challenged myself to attempt some high impact moves such as Jumping jacks and realized I could do them with ease. Getting out of my comfort zone has helped me feel more empowered and confident of my physical abilities” - Trupti Godbole

“I have been a home maker and never had any opportunity to talk before an audience or express my thoughts. In our fitness group class meetings , I started talking and sharing my ideas and experiences with others, even though I had never done this before. Now I feel more comfortable and confident expressing myself.” - Manjusha Vinay

These personal accounts are not to convince you that moving out of your comfort zone is helpful for progress. I am sure you already know that. But it is to inspire you to do more of it 🙂

“Do one thing everyday that scares you.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

That's my daughter Keya when she was 4, trying something that scared her - a bungee trampoline

Do let me know in comments if you resonated with this post and are motivated to push yourself to grow. I would love to hear from you 💕