CHALLENGING YOUR COMFORT| EXPERIENCING THE UNKNOWN|

“You can choose courage or you can choose comfort. You cannot have both.” -Brene Brown

One of the best ads of our times is ‘Dar ke age jit hee’! FEAR is often referred to by many as False evidence appearing REAL! In our life, we usually live with fear and within our comfort zone, rarely daring to step out. Trying something is always going out of our comfort zone, no matter how much we want to venture out, our ecosystem and well-wishers have few guidelines which are ingrained in our system which shows only one path in life. The routine mostly gives us a predictable outcome that we so much crave, the recognition of our herd furthers our need to keep proving ourselves every day. Yet there are so many experiences that we always wanted to plunge into which are put on the back burner for some later births if we get!!

The pandemic has taught us that nothing is permanent, and no matter what comfort zones we are in, it all can disappear in a second. We protect ourselves from all kinds of mental and physical pain, yet the unknown with its surprises doesn’t allow us time to brace ourselves.

However, it’s also true that sometimes the consequences of going beyond our fears to experience adventure can also cost us our otherwise peaceful life. Thus finding the balance between Adventure and Acceptability could be the icing on the cake!! Lessons from our adventure anecdotes and the acceptability of some of our comfort zones can go a long way to give us a thrilling experience of life. When we do a flashback of our life we shouldn’t have the regret that we wanted to try something, which our fears stop us from experiencing! Likewise, if the adventure has gone awry, what did we learn from the same, which has helped us upgrade our thinking.

We all need to grow, yet we all want to stay in the comfort zone of predictable outcomes -behaviors -feedback -accolades!! The irony of life is that growth starts with aspiration, moves with adventure, stagnates with acceptability, and accentuates with a new adventure! When we want to experience more in life, stepping out of our bubble is the obvious method. Soon enough the comfort zone can be translated into a risk zone, granting you all that you wanted to experience.

6 Baby steps to Challenging your Comfort –

1. Try a new route or recipe -We are so often scared to waste our time -investment and efforts that we stick to our same routes and recipes. Yet when we try something new, our neurons find new connections. This process further yields new opportunities -thinking and ways of life. The ability to explore the new around us can give you the first step towards the way out of your comfort zone into a new territory that was unknown to you.
2. Learning Something New -We attribute “learning” as a phase that only happens when we’re kids. That’s ridiculous. The learning process never ends, and there is always an opportunity to grow, no matter what age or situation. Research today says the best way to avoid Alzheimer’s is to engage in lifelong learning. Learning constantly stimulates the brain, more synapses may boost cognitive reserve, in turn delaying memory-related challenges and dementia. Learning is also an essential way of exploring beyond the comfort zone.
3. Networking with a new Tribe -Developing a new friend circle or acquaintances can also help you get ideas of adventure beyond your comfort. When we interact with people with new values -beliefs or thoughts we step into a new tribe, this also helps us broaden our horizons. Life is full of different and unique people, but when we get stuck in the same tribe, we tend to gravitate toward people that are similar to us. When this is the only interaction in our lives, it leads us to become close-minded and cuts us off from the reality
4. Dropping your Routine -Routine can limit our thought processes and creativity. Thus from time to time, we need to experiment with a new way of doing things. This could be starting with a new form of exercise like Pilates, high-intensity functional training, strength training, etc. Leaving your comfort zone may also help you get insights of what else do you like around you. Dropping Routine may help you find your other passions in life!
5. Let go of Your laurels -When we are too attached to our achievements we find it difficult to step into a new horizon. Thus letting go of past glories and dreaming on new peaks is another great way to try living beyond your comforts.
6. Travel into New Territories -Travelling to different places and exchanging thoughts with people from other cultures can be a great boost to living beyond our comfort zones. Opening your mind to other people’s cultural views and understanding what their ideologies are based on is the first step to gaining wisdom that applies all rather than territories you are used to.

To explore beyond your comfort zone, do check the following reads:

Fearless Freedom

Think out of the Box

What are your experiences with Fear ? Do you like going beyond your comfort? How would like to keep exploring new territories beyond your comfort? Do share with us your techniques to live beyond your comfort zone.