Don’t you love reading those articles that talk about how to lead a more fulfilling life? They all have tips like “take risks!” and “get outside of your comfort zone!”
As if it is that easy!?! We’re in our comfort zone for a reason… it’s comfortable! That isn’t entirely bad When we’re safe, secure, and comfortable we can make good decisions, have healthy interactions, and do good in the world.
However, the concept is right. You probably need to push a little to be open to new ideas, new experiences, and new visions of who you can be. And, that’s exciting!
So, let’s reframe the idea. Instead of “stretching outside your comfort zone,” think about it as “expanding your comfort zone.”
If you have ever set a physical fitness goal, like running a marathon, you know how the training goes. You start by doing an easy run, something that is fun. In fact, those first few weeks of training the goal is to keep it enjoyable so that you continue doing it. You don’t just jump right in and do a long grueling run. After a few months of training you’ve seen results and can now run faster and longer without being in agony.
Apply the same principle to your personal development.
Take public speaking, a common fear for most people. Stretching yourself in that area may provide significant personal and professional rewards. However, you don’t want to have your first experience be something like a high-stakes talk in front of your company’s leadership team. Instead, look for opportunities to start small, like Toastmasters clubs (www.toastmasters.org) which offer a safe environment to practice public speaking.
Maybe you want to build more friendships because you realize it could be rewarding to have a more diverse social life. Pick a hobby or activity you’re comfortable doing and then find a meetup (https://www.meetup.com/) where you can do that with some new people. Similarly, you may want to learn a new skill. Get some friends you’re comfortable with to try out learning the skill.
Expanding your comfort zone starts with small steps that are sustainable. If you make it enjoyable you’ll keep doing it. Growth doesn’t always need to be painful; persistence works too.
Take some time on this Simple Sunday to think about an area of your life you’d like to change, but thought was too hard. What is one small thing you could do that would be rewarding and enjoyable? Write it down and do it tomorrow… make Monday awesome!
As always, thanks for reading. I’m grateful for an audience that I can share ideas with and love hearing your feedback.
Brian