Comfort Zone
- n. a situation or position in
which a person feels secure, comfortable, or in control.
According to the Collins English
Dictionary
We all climb that hill or ladder in life trying to reach our own
version of a comfort zone. Whether it be professionally,
financially, personally or within our relationships. If we are
lucky, most of us find our comfort zone. Unfortunately, some of us
feel so comfortable in that zone we resist and refuse to ever leave
it. We become like huge oak trees with deep seeded roots. When
change comes, and it always does, we stand against it hoping our
branches won't break or fall. Praying the ferocious wind won't
uproot us.
Change is inevitable and not always a bad thing. The problem
with our comfort zone is we often stop growing and instead we just
exist day after day, week after week, month after month. We stop
being active participants in our lives. We simply go through the
motions and watch it pass us by, while deep down we question
if this is it? We simply stop sprouting new branches. Regardless of
age, experience or time, most of us reach this point --
sometimes more than once.
The answer is, no. This isn't it. It's just time to shake off
those dead branches, come out of dormancy and allow new buds to
grow. So where do you begin?
Face Your Fears
Frequently what holds us back is our fears. We are afraid of
being embarrassed, afraid of failing or afraid of being rejected.
What we don't realize is our fears are much larger in our head than
in reality. Feeling embarrassed really only lasts a minute or two
and it is never as bad as we've built it up to be in our heads. In
fact, we probably laugh at those embarrassing moments now when
looking back.
No one wants to be rejected, but occasionally we learn great
lessons by being rejected. Sometimes we are better off because we
find something far superior than what it was we thought we wanted.
I'm reminded of Garth Brook's song "Unanswered Prayers" where he
sings, "Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers."
Every now and then we have to fail in order to succeed. Most
people who reach huge success had to fail multiple times before
they ever succeeded. Facing our fears one at a time, no matter how
big or small can only help us cultivate our dreams. So, take your
fear of public speaking and start by preparing something small for
your friends or take a public speaking class that will force you to
speak in front of a group. What is the worst that will happen?
You'll freeze up for a few seconds, stumble through to the end in
front of people you hardly know and will not likely see again?
Embarrassed for a moment, but you'll likely walk away more
experience and more self-confidence because you conquered a fear.
Take your fear of heights and start with the Ferris wheel at Navy
Pier and graduate to the Ledge at Sears Tower. I guarantee you
won't fall. Who knows, you might feel inspired to take it a step
further and go sky diving. You never know how tall you can grow
until you allow those roots to branch out and support you.
Do Something.....Weird
Weird? I'm not talking about running down the street naked or
anything that might get you arrested. I'm talking about doing
something that is totally out of character for you. Do something
your friends/family might be shocked to hear when you tell them. If
you are a couch potato, do a 5k run. If you are not musically
inclined, take guitar lessons. If you are a five star hotel type
person, go camping. Or if you are a camper, stay at a five star
resort. If you are an avid movie watcher, read a book instead. If
you can't stand to get your hands dirty, plant some flowers. Don't
like people making a fuss over you, go to the spa for a massage,
manicure and pedicure (this is not just for women). The point is to
do something you've never considered doing before. You might gain
an entirely different perspective by stepping out of the box you
put yourself in.
Educate Yourself
Stagnation is often a result of us not learning anything new. We
finish with our schooling and settle into life not realizing
there's still so much to learn. Consider taking a class to learn a
new skill such as woodworking, pottery or painting. You might also
think about exercising the muscle in your head by taking a
philosophy or literature class. Dancing, fencing, boxing or yoga
classes are always a great way to use all your muscles to discover
something you may have never known you love.
Volunteer
If you've always had a soft spot for animals or maybe you've
felt a need to give back, volunteering can be like sticking your
big toe in the water before jumping. You might find that soft spot
wasn't as soft as you thought, but you also might find a hidden
passion that will point your life in an entirely different
direction. You never know until you try something new. There are
plenty of organizations out there looking for volunteers in a
rainbow of different flavors. You may not have the patience to
teach someone to read, but you might have the perfect social skills
to chat with an older adult while providing them with a nice meal.
Who knows, your love for playing the piano could inspire you to
volunteer your talent for churches, schools, or nursing homes,
leading you to an entirely new group of friends.
Break Routine
We all have a routine each day whether it is dictated by our
jobs, our family or ourselves. Routines are great, they keep us
organized and on time. However, occasionally our routine becomes so
automatic it is as if we're on autopilot. How many times have you
driven home and not really remembered stopping or turning? Try
living through an opposite day. Do the opposite of everything you
normally do. You'll be surprised how fun it might be to attempt
brushing your teeth with the opposite hand, eating dessert before
your meal, leaving your cell phone at home, choosing not to iron
your clothes or listening to silence instead of music in your car.
Call in sick and go to a movie on a Wednesday afternoon, eat
breakfast for dinner or set the alarm earlier than normal and watch
the sunrise. Breaking up our routine can take us off autopilot and
put some excitement back in our lives.
Travel
Traveling somewhere we've never been before is an excellent way
to break out of our comfort zone. We are forced to navigate our way
through a new town, a new language and new customs. From city to
country life, from trains to airplanes, from chain to local
restaurants, experiencing new and different ways of living and
traveling can forge new pathways in the brain.
Chances are you didn't get to where you are today without
breaking out of the box you were once in. You've been uprooted
before and successfully transplanted in different stages of your
life. Think back to the times you did leave your comfort zone. It
might have been scary and you might have asked yourself, "Why am I
doing this?" But you made it. You told yourself, "Why not?" And you
are most likely in a much better place because of it.
Carrie Robertson
Research & Community Education
Chicago Skilled Nursing
Chicago Senior
Living