Our comfort zone is the place that cocoons us into being at ease, comfortable and into living a life that is dull, mundane and well below our capability. It is one of life's biggest ' dream stealers'. Inside it's easy to fool ourselves that we are comfortable, that the big dreams we have for our lives is either outside of our reach or gone, but in reality they have all just been smothered by the confines of our self imposed prison. If you are tired of living stuck, living the same mundane life on repeat day in, day out for yet another year, try these 5 easy steps below .
# Say ‘Yes’ To New Experiences
While not agreeing to saying 'yes' to everything and everyone that comes your way, saying ‘yes’ to new opportunities, new ideas, new experiences and new perspectives will mean stepping outside of your comfort zones and opening up your world to a whole new set of possibilities. Saying ‘yes’ to things that will undoubtedly be uncomfortable and in some instances downright intimidating at first, when you succeed and conquer these new challenges, you’ll have increased your self respect and self-confidence.
A healthy self respect and a boosted self confidence is something you are unlikely to ever experience while you’re trapped inside your comfort zone. However, once outside you'll begin to see yourself in a whole different light and begin to see the future in a much more positive light.
In this instance, the word ‘no’ is as equally important as ‘yes'. If by saying ‘yes’ to people and things that aren’t going to help you grow, and agreeing to do things that go beyond your moral boundaries and your values, this will be counter productive. Before you say ‘yes’ to anything, check first if it falls within your boundaries. If it does, ask yourself how you’re going to benefit from the experience. Will you be more productive? Will you gain new skills? What will you stand to gain?
# Start Small
If you haven’t attempted to stepped out in many years, stepping out of your comfort zone will be uncomfortable at first so its a good idea to start small and mentally rehearsing taking the step you've decided to take beforehand. Make it easier on yourself by taking baby steps and not rushing into trying a whole plethora of new things. Count your victories making sure to give yourself a pat on the back as each small step forward is a win. It doesn’t matter how small you think it is, as long as you’re making progress. Remind yourself that you're doing it for your goals and for your dreams in life. Be your own cheerleader and celebrate each and every milestone you tick off your list
# Meet New People
Too often we settle into the same crowd, see and be around the same people and we become so comfortable that the thought of meeting and getting to know new people becomes daunting and downright frightening. Negative thoughts about how other people are going to react to us overwhelm our minds. We worry that they are not going to like us, talk behind our backs and on and on. While it’s true you can’t predict how people will perceive you, you don’t have to be a hostage to the negative thoughts or emotions.
Focus on the plus side of what you will gain when you open yourself up to meeting new people. You will learn fresh new ideas, and new perspectives. Don’t allow fear to stop you from reaching out. If you are on Facebook join a new group unlike the ones you would have settled for previously. If you are invited to join Clubhouse explore a room that is discussing topics you are unfamiliar with and consciously try to engage in the conversation. Likewise spark up in person conversations when you're waiting in line at the supermarket and when the world opens up from the pandemic we are experiencing at present. If you’re genuine, people will gravitate to you and won’t hesitate to reach out to you, too. And do not allow yourself to take it personally or be deterred if they don't reciprocate, commend yourself for reaching out and move on.
# Ask For Help
It’s simply not true that asking for help is a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it is actually a sign of strength. If you find it hard to get out of your comfort zone alone, then you can ask someone to help you out, someone who will guide you through the tough spots. In order to make the most of having someone by your side, it’s best to be honest with them so you will get the help you need. You can ask for help from your spouse, your kids, parents, friends, mentors, even acquaintances and complete strangers. If a stranger would be kind enough to help you out, then politely take them up on their offer. Keep an eye on your pride, and tone of voice if you're not used to asking for help as this sometimes may come across rude or arrogant. Strive to be nice and open as this usually leads to you getting the help you need.
# Just Do It !
Sometimes, you just have to take the leap whether you’re ready or not and just face the consequences later. It may not turn out as you hope, but at least you’re not going to be kicking yourself later on for not even trying. A lot of opportunities will only come your way once in a lifetime. How many of those have you missed? How many of those do you regret not taking action on? The feeling of regret can gnaw at you especially if you know you’re never going to get another chance. As morbid as it sounds, many people at the end of their lives profess regret at missing out on the opportunities life has presented to them and they'd missed out on and now regret not living the life they had wanted to live.
If what seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity comes your way stamp any of the negative thoughts and feelings that may come up and go for it. Sometimes, you won’t have the luxury of having the time to weigh the pros and cons and you really will have no other choice but to just do it if you truly want to succeed in life. The good news is, when you just go and do it, you don’t end up overthinking and procrastinating and eventually talking yourself out of it. Instead, you're actually taking action. And when you do, you will either succeed and reap your reward, or you will fail and learn valuable lessons.
Listen to episode 3 of the #ItsTimeToThrive podcast HERE for more tips on how to Get out of your comfort zone.
By Women Who Slay @womenwhoslay