The comfort zone

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Updated 9 years ago

What is our “COMFORT ZONE” really, and why should we leave it?

We’ve all heard people say that we need to get out of our comfort zone, and we all generally tend to agree, but do we actually understand what it is?

Our comfort zone is any type of behavior that keeps us at a low and comfortable anxiety level. Everyday activities that we’re used to that don’t make us feel anxious and uneasy are all part of our comfort zone.

Although people often recommend for us to ‘get outside of our comfort zone’ in terms of trying new things, anything that raises our anxiety levels can be counted as being outside that zone. For instance, if we don’t like being around crowds of unfamiliar people, we’re not going to be comfortable in that situation.

Our COMFORT ZONE can best be illustrated like this:

Our COMFORT ZONE is surrounded by two other zones of our lives. It extends into a LEARNING ZONE, but can eventually change to a PANIC ZONE, where anxiety is too high if we're no careful.

Anxiety isn’t something we’re prone to go out of our way to look for, but a little bit can actually be a benefit to us. A hint of anxiety is actually what we need to both push ourselves to get things done, or to improve our performance.

When tasks are very easy, performance increases as anxiety levels rise. When a task is harder however, increased anxiety only helps to a point. After a certain threshold the combination of a difficult task and high anxiety actually hinders us, making our performance compromised.

How we deal with uncertainty
A lot of the anxiety that comes from leaving our comfort zone is due to the levels of uncertainty that we find uncomfortable. Even though we may come to like them over time, we are often more likely to respond negatively to the new and uncertain things that we face. The more anxious and afraid we are, the smaller our comfort zone becomes and the more difficult it can be to break out of it.

Familiarity is comfortable and enjoyable, so it is no real surprise that many new things will cause us to put our guard up. We see familiar things as more likely to be safe generally, and so we’re more habitually drawn to what we know. If we do something we have done safely previously, it is probably going to be safe for us to do it again.

Trying new things also takes energy. When we’re feeling tired or unmotivated, we’re more likely to resort to old habits than to take any new risks.

So, should we break out of our comfort zone?

Yes, it is actually good for us and crucial to our success. On the diagram above, we want to find a ‘sweet spot’ somewhere in the learning zone, and avoid going so far out of our comfort zone that our anxiety drives us too far into panic mode.

Benefits of leaving our comfort zone:
It will help us grow - When mixed with feelings of achievement and success, some anxiety and self doubt can actually motivate us and lead to further personal growth if channeled correctly. This sense of accomplishment can greatly increase our confidence levels.

Our comfort zone will grow - If our comfort zone is small, we often miss out on a lot of the exciting things our lives have to offer because we allow our anxiety to dictate our experiences. By making ourselves get out of our comfort zone more regularly, we not only expand the things we are comfortable with, but our comfort zone also increases in size.

Familiarity can also help nurture us to begin liking or enjoying something, even if it may have turned us off at first.

New things motivate us and help us learn - Enjoy the unknown. Sometimes it can be an exciting feeling not knowing what is going to happen next as we pursue something. If we’re deep in our comfort zone, we can miss this excitement.

Knowing that we tried is an accomplishment in itself, and we need to realise that even a failed attempt at something new is still a measure of success. We summoned up the courage to take a risk and on a leap of faith, made the effort to act.

Finding that middle ground where whilst we are anxious, those anxiety levels are still manageable is what we are looking for. Once we have become acclimatised to that new level of anxiety, we have successfully expanded our comfort zone.

TIPS and WARNINGS

If you find that stepping out of your comfort zone is hard, start small and keep building your way up.

Be yourself. Never try to be someone that you're not, you are unique. You'll live a much happier and non compromised life doing this.

Don't worry about what others think of you. This is YOUR life. Take risks and discover how wonderful it is pushing yourself to success.

Be patient and don't panic! Sometimes getting out of your comfort zone may require a bit of time.

‘Luck’ happens when preparedness meets with opportunity. Step out of your comfort zone and try new things. Don't be afraid to take any opportunities that come your way, because you never know what, when and how you'll be rewarded for it.

Don't confuse stepping out of your comfort zone with being reckless and stupid. There's a difference between being reckless and accepting calculated risks. Reckless people don't even think about them generally. You should always calculate the risk before deciding to go through with any comfort zone pushing decision you make, being ready and willing to accept any consequences if things don't work out.

It is good sometimes to not know what will happen, throwing caution aside as you take risks. Just don't ignore any possible serious dangers in the process. Always keep yourself safe and do not take risks you may end up regretting. Be wise and be prudent.

Don't do anything that would most likely cause others or yourself harm.

How far we want to push our comfort zone boundaries is totally up to us, and will obviously no doubt depend on what else is going on in our lives.

Our comfort zone goals should be to maintain a healthy balance between challenging and comforting ourselves as we move forward with our life purposes. If we’re too comfortable, we’re not productive. ...and, if we’re too uncomfortable, we’re not productive. It can be a bit of a “Catch 22” situation, where we can’t afford to be either too hot or too cold.

There is often no room for adventure and excitement in our comfort zone. Over time we might just end up feel overwhelmed and trapped by mediocrity and fear.

Perhaps it's time for us to stretch our limits. Not only will our lives become more exciting, but we'll also build the confidence we need to reach all of our life goals, whether business or pleasure.

Be BRAVE and don't be scared. Expand your horizons by pushing and extending the boundaries of your Comfort Zone.

Here's to your success everyone. Have a GREAT day!