Feeling comfortable outside my comfort zone
The comfort zone can be defined as the invisible living space in which people feel safe and where stress and risk are minimized. Stepping out of this space where we feel comfortable actually contributes a lot to us. However, some difficulties await us when we step out of this space. So, what can you do to feel comfortable outside your comfort zone?
The comfort zone can be defined as the invisible living space in which people feel safe and where stress and risk are minimized. According to this concept, which was defined, albeit unnamed, by two psychologists in 1908, a comfortable state allows a person to perform at a constant level. For maximum performance, a threshold of anxiety was required. According to these psychologists, people are most productive and efficient when stress levels are higher than normal but not so extreme as to cause panic.
In a way, doing the same job for a long time or living in the same neighborhood for years is like a cocoon that one weaves around oneself without realizing it. If breaking out of this safe cocoon can help our personal development and improve our performance, it's worth a try.
The comfort zone issue is similar to investing. Low-risk investments always bring regular but small profits. To earn more, you need to be able to take calculated risks. This means being open to feeling uncomfortable.
To be more successful in investing in oneself, one needs to do the same. Experts recommend taking that first step. Joining that social activity that you are worried you will not be comfortable in, stepping into the gym you have signed up for without waiting for a ceremonial first day, not postponing writing while thinking about your first word... Refusing to remain inactive for fear of not being liked or approved is one of the most important risks we need to take.
Even simple steps like taking new routes home, going out to dinner alone, or trying to make quick decisions in a way we are not used to are ways to get out of our comfort zone. In the long run, such actions boost self-confidence and help us to cope more easily with the unknown.
Whatever the first step we take, it is inevitable that we will deal with some anxiety because we don't feel as secure as we used to. Shapiro, one of the directors of Thrive Global, a community that works for the personal development of humanity, suggests 4 ways to cope with uncomfortable situations that can occur when you step out of your comfort zone...
Looking tired or confused all the time can give people the impression of being unreliable; more importantly, it can lead to low self-esteem and loss of focus. Considering that physical and mental health are not separate from each other, paying attention to our sleep and diet, feeling vigorous and energetic will reflect positively on our moods and attitudes.
Life can force us to live always looking ahead to the next step, but this "living in the brain" is very consuming for people. It is important to remember to consult the heart and what in English is called "gut feeling" when making decisions. When you feel that your gut feeling conflicts with reality, start a moving activity such as dancing or walking. Instead of ignoring your feelings, try to accept and overcome them - there is nothing like music and movement for this.
On the eve of sailing into new waters, we may feel doubt about whether we can succeed. This doubt and anxiety can make us feel powerless. When we have these feelings, it can help to repeat to ourselves that they are not real, but delusions created by our inner resistance.
For every new step that we think we will fail, it is helpful to think that other people have similar stories to ours and that we should not try to achieve the impossible. Affirmations that other people have been through the same thing, that they have been there and succeeded will reduce our worries.
Feeling uncomfortable in unfamiliar situations does not mean we are weak. The most important thing is to accept this and consider the above suggestions in every new step we take.