We often stay in our comfort zone because it is where we feel most secure, confident, and capable to perform. What resonated with me about the comfort zone is that it has boundaries. A boundary marks a limit; it keeps you within a certain space. Hence, you can grow in your comfort zone, but you will only grow so far there. You will be required to go beyond what you currently know and do to continue growing.
When you stretch beyond your comfort zone, it will not feel good initially. It is like stretching when you exercise, if you aren’t used to reaching down and touching your toes without bending your leg, it feels uncomfortable. The more you work at doing it, the more flexible you become and eventually you get to a point where you can do it comfortably.
Now that I know there is a lot of potential for growth in a space that makes me feel uncomfortable, I no longer hesitate to go there. I don’t hesitate to go to the place where I’ve never been before, where I don’t have all the answers (let alone any of the answers), where I don’t know anyone, where I may not have all the qualifications, nor where I may not be a part of the majority in the room. I find myself running to these places faster now because I know it will add something to me once there. This doesn’t mean I am not afraid or uncomfortable going there. I learned to conquer my fears quicker by going there.
Once I am there, I find it’s not so scary or hard as I thought it would be. Sometimes we psyche ourselves out of going beyond our comfort zone because we don’t know what we will find there. The best way to know is to go. Go discover the part of you you’ve never met before.
I will be honest with you. When I decide to go, I often experience a period of frustration until I understand the pieces to the puzzle better. Once I start to see how things fit together, my comfort comes back. I know I can’t get to a comfort zone again without allowing myself to be frustrated first. So, I give myself permission to be frustrated because I know the frustration will pass and become comfort again.
It hasn’t failed yet. When all is said and done, I ultimately like what I discovered about myself outside of my comfort zone. I am confident you will like what you discover within yourself too.