How to break out of your comfort zone

Your comfort zone might be beneficial, enjoyable, with reduced stress and low anxiety, but it also can mean stomping your growth as a person and as a professional. We all want to become the best possible versions of ourselves, don't we?

Staying in your comfort zone can also increase the fear of missing out, thus increasing anxiety and stress, especially in a world where social media reigns supreme.

The key to stepping out of your comfort zone is to find the right balance. It is not wrong to have a comfort zone, as it helps us process the benefits of leaving it, recover and recharge. You don't need to push yourself too hard when leaving it, as the process needs to fit you and produce just the right level of anxiety to move you forward but not affect your health. Ideally, you would need to continue to expand your comfort zone as that is the best way to grow and live a happier life.

In episode three of our Lessons Learned series, I shared my own experience with leaving the comfort zone and its impact on my life.

So how do you break out of your comfort zone?

Identify the right balance for you. As mentioned before, leaving your comfort zone requires knowing how far you can stretch your limits and what you want to achieve by doing it. Take the time, first of all, to think about that. You are at the core of everything, and it doesn't mean you need to take the same level of risk as others.

Start doing everyday things differently. Simple things like taking a different route to work, trying new cuisine, or trialling out a potential hobby is an excellent way to step out and subsequently expand your comfort zone. As time passes by, you can move on to more significant steps since you will be more accustomed to doing it and more curious about where it can lead.

Manage your fear. Fear of change is something that we all experience, but learning how to use the right level of fear to further your career and improve your life is crucial. Mastering fear is one of the keys to a so-called perfect life. You can't control everything, and you cannot live in constant fear of what can happen, but you can control the way you deal with it.

Change your decision-making process. If you usually like to ponder and weigh all the aspects before taking a decision, then, once in a while, make a snap decision. This way, you might avoid procrastination, and who knows, maybe you'll kickstart that project you always wanted to do.

If, on the other hand, you usually take quick decisions, make sure you sometimes take more time to conclude. Time is of the essence in many circumstances, but sometimes taking longer to make a better-informed decision will outweigh the loss of time.

Meet new people. You probably tend to meet the same type of people. People who share your beliefs, values, standards and enjoy the same things as you do. Exposing yourself to new people is one of the most important ways to broaden your horizon. You'll discover just how many fantastic people there are in this world and will probably learn some of the most valuable lessons from them.

Start a new hobby or project. You might have always wanted to write a book, for example. Start writing and see where it can lead. You might discover that you can be a good writer or that you probably like to do it for yourself. Maybe you'll find that you don't enjoy it and nothing is coming out of it. Either way, it is a good thing. You'll never wonder what it would be like if you did it, you'd now know.

Don't just think about it, do it. You probably thought about leaving your comfort zone often, especially when you feel you are missing out, but you convinced yourself not to. Start step by step, and you'll reap the benefits of expanding your comfort zone.

What do you think? Are you ready to finally break out of your comfort zone and start living your life to the fullest? Please share your thoughts, your story and other tips that you know. If you found the article helpful, share it with anyone that might benefit from reading it.

Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest posts.