Are You Hiding in the Comfort Zone?

By: Ptiya Ali As a coach specializing in reprogramming unwanted patterns and behaviours, I have definitely seen my fair share of clients hiding in the comfort zone. Most, if not all, have tried to use the same debate with me, “What’ s wrong with comfort?” There is absolutely nothing wrong with comfort, unless you ’ re using it to hide from expanding, growing and evolving further towards your highest potential.

Being wrapped in comfort is one thing; sticking to a life that includes only the things you know, are familiar with, or have just become used to doing out of routine is another. The two most greatest obstacles that seem to stump people when attempting to get out of their comfort zone, are fear of the unknown and fear of failure.

Fear of the unknown can be crippling and prevent us from ever taking a step. Most people are inclined to imagine scenarios of unwanted experiences or results when they think about or imagine the unknown. They think back to stories they ’ ve heard of others attempting the same thing or something similar. Some people even create the most far fetched stories that have little to no rationale.

To conquer these fears there are some simple steps that can be taken. Start by looking for stories of people who have successfully engaged in or achieved the goal. One of the tools I use and share with my clients is to go on the internet and search for example, “finding love in your 20’ s, 30’ s, 40’ s, 50’ s, 60’ s, 70’ s, 80’ s or yes even your 90’ s. ” You will see articles, dating sites and more with stories and dating options to confirm that someone, actually likely more than just one person; it could be 10, it could be 100’ s, it could be 1000’ s, it could be 1000000’ s of people that have found love in each of these age ranges. Researching the topic to learn more knowledge such as tips for success, or specific facts as well as potential pitfalls, is another way to reduce the fear of the unknown by replacing it through empowering yourself with knowledge. Fear of failure is the other leading cause that can stop us before we even get started. The thought of letting go of something we are familiar with, to replace it with something that is risky and we have no experience in, can leave us feeling terrified. For some people, this can mean unfulfilled passion, unsatisfactory relationships and never realizing our full potential in order to maintain the safety factor that comes from settling for what we know.

To overcome the fear of failure you can start by making small changes in your life that will likely yield success. This can be anything from switching the hand you brush your teeth with, to getting up on the other side of the bed or changing your route on your walks or way to work. This starts to shift your brain into awakening, waiting a little longer for instruction, rather than just repeating the same old same old. This helps to address the fear of changing something that you are accustomed to doing over and over. Another step you can take is trying new things that are unrelated to your ultimate goal. This could be trying new foods, implementing a new exercise into your workout routine, experiencing a new genre of TV shows, music or books. This starts to open you up to adapting to new things. Lastly, attempt something related to your goal on a small scale. For example, if you wanted to skydive, you could visit a simulated skydiving place. If you ’ re interested in starting your own business, you could begin on a small scale in the evenings and on weekends to get started while maintaining your stable source of income. If you ’ re interested in meeting a romantic partner, you could attend a meetup event or speed dating event to allow you to give it a try without having to go through an entire date with someone. The idea is to take small steps and give yourself opportunities to become more encouraged to progress further. Many of the things you desire are one step outside of your comfort zone. Are you going to hide or step out of the zone?