Living Outside Your Comfort Zone

As we explore and expand our boundaries, here are some thoughts regrading comfort zones - and how to get outside of them.


1)  Acknowledge Your Fears
     At the root of all hesitation to change is fear.  Fears are natural.  They are also rooted in basic physical and emotional needs.  Acknowledge and understand your  fears one by one before taking steps to address them...don't tackle them all at once.
     If you don't acknowledge your fears it will be difficult to recognize and characterize your success once you've overcome them.
2)  Check Routines - Chuck Some
      There's value in routine.  But like anything valuable, routines ought to be subject to evaluation.  Sometimes our routines can turn into ruts.  At that point, it's time to actively consider your routines and whether or not they need to be swapped for something different.
3)   Expand Your Boundaries of Comfort
       Expand your collection of life experiences with which you're comfortable.  What may have been uncomfortable yesterday is comfortable today.
4)   Don't Play Trading Places
       Don't wish that you had someone else's life.  Find out what it is that admire and value in that person's life.  Focus on one aspect and try to be that in yours.  Let your choices and actions reflect your values.  In other words:  LIVE DELIBERATELY.
5)   Think: What's the Worse That Could Happen?
       If you are staring down a fear and you know the risk you need to face it, ask yourself: "What's the worse thing that can happen"?  When you consider the worse case scenario, you may just realize that the consequences of failure aren't that bad.
       When considering our life choices, one friend recently asked me, "But really, what do you have to lose?"
       Good Question!