In Judith Bardwick’s book “Danger in the Comfort Zone,” the author writes, ““The comfort zone is a behavioral state within which a person operates in an anxiety-neutral condition, using a limited set of behaviors to deliver a steady level of performance, usually without a sense of risk.”
We are all guilty of staying in the comfort zone that Judith describes. And why wouldn’t we? They call it a “comfort zone” for a reason. The problem is that we can become complacent when we hang out in the comfort zone for too long. Change and growth come from stretching ourselves beyond our perceived limits.
Recently, the concept of the comfort zone has been expanded to include the fear zone, the learning zone and the growth zone. These different zones are worth exploring at your own pace when you decide that you are ready to expand your horizons.
The comfort zone
The comfort zone is where we feel safe and secure and thrive on routines that don’t push us to achieve more. It is the place where we can become good at defending the status quo. However, without challenges to keep us stimulated we can quickly plateau or become bored with our habits and the things that we have come to know so well.
Finding the motivation to leave the comfort zone may not be easy but each step you take will lead you closer to personal growth, learning and success. It will require courage and self-understanding to make the leap. Take time to consider your personal strengths and what types of challenges you are willing to take on. This can be helpful when deciding to move beyond what we have always known or done. This is when we step into the fear zone.
The fear zone
The fear zone is where we must stop relying on excuses, overcome the opinions of others and bolster our self-confidence. We are sure to encounter uncertainty, anxiety and may even wonder if we are doing the right thing. We may even retreat back into the comfort zone to gather our courage again. However, if we can stick it out long enough in the fear zone we can move on to the learning zone.
The learning zone
The learning zone is aptly named as this is where we deal with the challenges and problems we created when we left the comfort zone. We begin to acquire new skills and we expand the boundaries of the old comfort zone to include these new skills and behaviors. From this point we can stretch ourselves into the growth zone.
The growth zone
The growth zone is where we finally begin to realize our aspirations. We begin to live out our dreams. We set new goals and move forward. We find our purpose in life.
So, how do we start the journey from the comfort zone to growth zone? Here are a few tips to get you headed down the right path.
Tips to grow by
Start by challenging yourself to do things differently in everyday life. You might take a new way home from work or just slow down and notice your surroundings. It is a small step in breaking yourself out of old, comfortable routines.
Find your creativity by stepping into something you may have wanted to try in the past but have not found the courage to do yet. Uncovering our creative side can be a step into the unknown. We leave behind our comfort zone and try something new. We let go of our perfectionism and embrace a growth mindset.
Be honest with yourself and others. Honesty is great for personal growth. Whether you journal or tell someone the truth, making a habit of being honest is fantastic for forcing us out of our comfort zone.
Challenge what you believe. Read different book genres. Make new, diversified friends. Visit new places. It’s easy to get stuck in our old, familiar ways. By branching out and considering new perspectives we stave off complacency and gain new insights.
One of my favorite quotes attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt is, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” It is a reminder to push ourselves, even if it is just a little bit each day, to avoid complacency and embrace growth.
Getting out of the comfort zone may not be easy but it is sometimes necessary to achieve the personal growth and success we desire. By conquering fear and learning to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations we can expand into learning and growth. Challenge yourself to think differently, explore your creativity and be honest with yourself. Your opportunity to grow beyond the comfort zone awaits.
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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/sasint
Barbara Bauer is a Georgia-based blogger obsessed with inspiring others in the pursuit of self-development. She enjoys exploring the outdoors, drinking way too much coffee, and speaking with a British accent whenever possible.
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