Is Staying In Your Comfort Zone Holding You Back?
We've all heard the phrase "go out of your comfort zone." But have you ever considered why you should? After all, our comfort zone is where we feel safe and in charge. It is the place where we can forecast what will happen and how we will feel. There will be no surprises that we cannot handle.
So, why would you feel obliged or even desire to leave your comfort zone? You must do it because stepping outside of your comfort zone is essential for personal growth and enjoyment. Getting out of your comfort zone helps you improve your self-esteem and self-image.
Is being there preventing you from living a fulfilling life and progressing in your career?
Yes, the answer is yes. Being in your comfort zone and being there prevents you from realizing and attaining your goals. Staying safely within your comfort zone protects you from being pushed and prevents you from having to rise to new challenges.
Here are three ways that remaining in your comfort zone is limiting you.
It prevents you from individually growing. When you are terrified of anything, staying in your comfort zone allows you to avoid confronting that anxiety. Then you suffer from it indefinitely or until you confront it. You avoid events that might put you in a position where you would have to confront your fear in order to conquer it.
For example, your fear of public speaking prevents you from accepting a position that needs you to speak in front of others, even if it is a step up the career ladder.
Your comfort zone prevents you from being joyful. Perhaps you have challenges with self-esteem and self-confidence. These issues will worsen until you take measures outside of your comfort zone to address them. Getting out of your comfort zone allows you to gain confidence in yourself and perceive yourself in a more positive way.
You are happier when you are self-assured and have high self-esteem. For example, if you're not confidence in your abilities, you're more likely to stay in your comfort zone rather than trying anything new. This undermines your confidence, making you feel incompetent and miserable.
Staying in your comfort zone might lead to feelings of being confined and unhealthy. Fear often puts us in our comfort zone, causing us to engage in undesirable habits. You may desire to be more active, run a marathon, experience less aches and pains, and embark on new experiences. To do any of these things, though, you must step outside of your comfort zone.
Let's say you want to run a half marathon. You've always wanted to do it, but you put it off and make reasons for why you can't. You're not in good enough shape. You are pressed for time. You're past your prime. But the true reason is that you're hesitant to go out of your comfort zone and start working with a personal trainer. As a result, you continue to eat unhealthy foods, gain weight, lose muscle tone, and put your desire on hold until your health becomes an issue.
We keep ourselves from living a life we enjoy, from being happy, and from progressing if we stay in our comfort zone. We eventually succumb to our worries and settle for mediocrity.
