- You want to host your first yoga retreat, but are paralyzed by self-doubt.
- You know it’s time to try broadcasting live on Facebook…but can’t work up the nerve to do it.
- You know you’re not “just” a yoga teacher and have a mission to help people connect with their purpose and live healthier lives, but standing in those shoes feels overwhelming.
What if you don’t succeed? It IS easier to stick to what you “know.” But, time goes by and you’re doing the same thing day after day, wondering why you aren’t further along in your career. What happened?
You’re stuck in your comfort zone!
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel safe and secure, but too much of it leads to stagnation. Typically, everything you want is just on the other side of your comfort zone. There is growth and success in the unfamiliar.
It’s time to get comfortable being uncomfortable!
However, this is easier said than done. As children, we’re natural risk-takers. But, as adults, we hold ourselves back and tend to try fewer new things. We are afraid of failure! It’s helpful to connect to the benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone. You are more likely to push through fear if you’re aware of the rewards on the other side.
Here are eight benefits to stepping outside your comfort zone:
1.Boost Your Confidence
Pushing past your boundaries and taking on the unknown builds self-confidence – even if you aren’t 100% successful the first time. Every time you accomplish something you didn’t think you were capable of it boosts your self-esteem. Stop thinking about what you could do and start acting!
2.Increase Your Creativity
When you do the same thing day after day, it becomes more challenging to dream and create. New situations require using your creativity to find solutions. You may even be surprised at how creative you become when faced with a new challenge.
3.Experience Growth
Every time you get out of your comfort zone there is an opportunity to grow. You can’t evolve and expand if you stick to your regular routines and what’s familiar. Trying new things will help you learn and navigate life.
4.Opportunity To Practice
That old saying, “practice makes perfect” has merit. It takes practice to achieve great things, and it typically takes a lot of small gains to achieve competence. Also, if you do fail, it’s an opportunity to pick yourself up and try again: every time you push yourself to try again, you’ll boost your self-confidence.
5.Live Without Regrets
One of the biggest fears in life is ending up with regrets. Do you really want to spend your life wondering, what if? If you don’t take actions outside of your comfort zone on a regular basis, it likely what will happen. You have one life so live it to the fullest!
6.Things WILL Change
Yes, they will and often for the better! New people, new places, new experiences, and new knowledge. It can feel scary and overwhelming but once you push through the fear and experience change, you will focus more on where you want to be. Change may be exactly what you need to achieve your goals.
7.Build Resiliency
Having the ability to overcome challenges and face them head-on is a magical quality. When you are able to bounce back from seemingly insurmountable situations, the belief in who you are can carry you to new heights.
8.Increase Your Chance of Success
Success happens over time and is usually a result of taking consistent actions outside your comfort zone. You become stronger and more confident with each gain you make. Every time you step out of your comfort zone you move closer to your goals.
Remember great things never come from inside your comfort zone!
