How we define the term “comfort zone” applies differently to each of us. While some love chasing after grand adventures to have fulfilled lives, others are more laid back in pursuing their goals. It is understandable if you are not willing to pursue your goals and get out of doing the same thing daily, perhaps this is because you are scared of ridicule or you are not challenged to taking risk because of undue anxiety. However, there are times you just have to get out of that restrictive area and do what is necessary to live a life of less regrets. Life is short.
Here are signs to help you realize that it is necessary for you to jump out of your comfort zone.
You are unhappy, and you are not sure why
Amazingly, you have everything around you working as they should; however, it somehow still feels like you want more out of life. You are not happy because things are so ordinary and usual. Your body wants something different, perhaps a new experience or a new challenge.
You doubt yourself
You don’t know how good or how capable you are. Somehow, this leads to self-doubt and negative self-talk. Certainly, you will be thrilled to find contentment within the challenges that new adventures can bring, it is just that you do not know if you are up for it or you can achieve what is before you.
You face stagnancy
You are at the same junction for a while and you have become satiated and bored with it. You are not growing and you do not see any kind of growth in the horizon. You feel that you have everything working for you. Unfortunately, you are in a crisis because you are not making the exact kind of process your personality deserves.
You can’t remember the last time you tried something new
It must have been a while since you were challenged. You have been doing the same thing for so long that you cannot remember the last time you had that adrenaline rush in chasing something you desired. It is not as if you wouldn’t love the challenge, but you have become so laid-back in your comfort zone that you are relaxed watching the world and its activities go by.
You rarely make conversation with strangers
You are not meeting new people, neither are you discovering new channels of expressing yourself. You are worried about how the world will view you if you do something different or speak to them. You don’t want to have a different response other than the one you have been receiving for a while. You are actually okay with not striking new conversations or meeting new people.
You say “No” when you are asked do something new or inconvenient
Anything that does not resonate with what you are currently doing seems risky. You are negative to any new prospect that is out of your area of interest. You would love to see the task delegated to someone else other than you because you really find it confusing.
You procrastinate often
You continue waiting for things to be perfect before you take action. However, things are never perfect. You simply have something holding you back from within and you are not willing to do anything about it. Instead, you make excuses and complain on how timing and other factors are not just right. You always tell yourself that “someday” you will finish that book you have always being willing to write, or that you will travel to Portugal, or take that acting class “someday.”
You constantly use words like “if” and “when”
You seem to use negative words like “can’t” or “won’t.” You really do not know how impactful the words you use can keep you in a comfort zone. You could use words like “if” and “when”, rather than “should,” “could,” or “am.” You shouldn’t get stuck using negative words that do not drive you out of your comfort zone because these words focus on the risks and limit you to the exact spot you are now in.
The next step…
Realising the need to leave our comfort zone is only the first step. The next step is to really push ourselves out of our comfort zone. This may sound scary, but we don’t need to rush it through. This infographic shows how you can take baby steps to leaving your comfort zone.
Trust me, with time and perseverance, you will eventually find yourself a stronger person.
Featured photo credit: https://unsplash.com/ via unsplash.com
