Why It’s Bad to Stay in Your Comfort Zone
For the initial 10 years of my career, I stayed in my comfort zone. I hesitated to start my own business because I was afraid I didn’t have enough knowledge. The fear of not being able to support my family was always on my mind. These thoughts still come up, but now I know that God has my back. I believe He is here for me. I trust that He has a plan, and I am exactly where I need to be.
Recognizing the Comfort Zone
I was in my comfort zone and afraid to step out of it. So, I stuck with average jobs with no real way to progress. Towards the end of my 8–5 work routine, I joined a great company. They treated me really well. But then a bigger company bought us out. Initially, they were good to work for, but soon I felt like I was becoming a number instead of a person. That’s what really motivated me to break out of my comfort zone and explore different business opportunities.
I didn’t realize that my comfort zone was what was holding me back.
Stepping Out of Boundaries
Once I dared to go beyond my usual boundaries, I made my own website, started writing articles, and even felt inspired to write devotionals. I pushed the limits in every aspect of my life. It was pretty challenging in the beginning, but after about three months of pushing those limits, it started to feel like the new “norm.” Now, if I have a day where I don’t stretch myself, it feels like I didn’t accomplish anything.
Tips to Move Away from Your Comfort Zone
Here are a few tips that I found to be the best advice for helping me move away from my comfort zone:
Try Something Different Today
It could be something you haven’t done in a while. It might sound a bit wild, but if you do just one new thing every day, you’ll soon be stepping out of your comfort zone. The new thing you try could be something bold, like reaching out to a mentor from a podcast for advice. It could also be as simple as eating at a place you haven’t tried before. Whatever it is, do it today, and make a habit of trying something new every day.
Seek Guidance from God
Take a moment to ask God where He wants you to be. It might sound even crazier than the first tip, but let me tell you, it worked for me. Every morning, the very first thing I did when I woke up was ask for guidance to lead me where I needed to be that day. This simple request gave me the motivation to do what I had to. Almost every day, it was something that pushed me out of my comfort zone. This small step also helped me start my day with the Lord first.
Do Something That Scares You
Don’t wait to take that chance, send that email, or try something new. One of the toughest things for me was sending emails to people I didn’t know. I can’t explain why hitting the send button was so hard for me. So, I began sending out emails every day. I started with one, then the next day I did two, and so on. Soon, when I pressed the send button, I was reaching over 250 people. I conquered my fear and pushed myself outside my comfort zone by taking small steps.
Set Big Goals and Share Them
Not just big goals—I also share them with others. When they laughed at me, I just smiled and used that laughter as fuel to make those goals happen. Every time I got scared or thought the goal was too big, I could hear the laughter. I used that laughter to push myself even further out of my comfort zone and reach for the stars. I can tell you that I achieved most of my goals because I dared to step out of my comfort zone.
Act on Your Urges Immediately
When you feel the urge, don’t hesitate. For the longest time, I would feel the urge to make a phone call or send an email and wouldn’t do it right away. Then I was listening to a podcast, and the speaker said that when you get the feeling, don’t wait—just do it. Do it right then. Holy cow, did this step push me way out of my comfort zone? I would get the urge to send a message to someone I hadn’t touched base with in years, and more often than not, it turned out to be a great thing.
Take Time for Yourself
Making sure you focus on what you need is something everyone should do. There are many ways to take time for yourself. I did it by investing in courses that gave me more information to move forward. I also turned wasted time driving into podcast time. Every time I’m behind the wheel, you can bet I have a podcast on. I even turn podcasts on when I’m washing dishes or working around the house. My whole family listens to them with me. When I was flying a couple of times a week, I used that time to catch up on Netflix. Then I started listening to podcasts, reading a book, or a mix of both, depending on the flight duration. As soon as I started doing that, it amazed me how quickly I started moving out of my comfort zone.
Final Thoughts
I know there’s a lot of information here. I also understand that what worked for me may not work for everyone else. I hope that, as you read this, you learn at least one thing you can use. If just one thing helps you step out of your comfort zone a little, then it was worth your time to read this and my time to write it.
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