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Comfort Zones
There is a state of mind that has a lot to do with our personal power - the comfort
zone. This isn't the most comfy place on the couch, it's the arena of our
thoughts and actions within which we feel comfortable, safe and secure.
We feel comfortable with all sorts of things, patterns of behavior, beliefs about
ourselves and others. These frequently are based on our past, the rules
we have learned to live by, our experiences.
When we are within our comfort zone, things proceed with regularity and predictability.
We create habits about the way we do things, what we do, when we do them, etc.
And these habits define what we are comfortable with. Things remain constant
and stable. When we are within our comfort zone, we can predict how things
will go, what the outcome of our efforts will be, and that feels good.
Living within our comfort zone can be both good and bad. We certainly create
habits around things that protect us from harm and keep us on track with the regularly
occurring events in our lives. Habits such as what we do when we get up each morning,
what we do at our job, how we drive our cars, where we go to run errands, etc.
However, we can create habits around things that hold us back from reaching our
goals and dreams too. You see, growth and learning take place on the outside
of our comfort zone. In order to reach a goal we have set, we will need
to change a habit, or learn a new skill, or do something that takes us outside
of our comfort zone. And in so doing, we must change something, and that
doesn't feel comfortable.
When we stay in our comfort zones, even though we have a goal that requires us
to reach outside that comfort zone to attain it, we can get frustrated and dissatisfied.
Acting outside the zone we have defined as comfortable is sometimes scary…like
public speaking, or starting a new job. Worse yet, our brain is working
to keep us safe, so it says, this isn't like me…I don't do this, and it usually
wins. In fact, it CAN sound like "This isn't possible, I CAN'T do this!
Whenever you are stepping outside of your comfort zone, you are growing and learning!
You are working toward that goal you have set, making a positive difference in
your life. Stepping outside of your comfort zone will feel uncomfortable
until your brain has established a comfort with doing that new thing.
So when you feel uncomfortable, redefine it NOT as a message to step back within
the comfort zone, but as that you are growing and learning. Keep moving
forward! It IS NOT impossible! You merely have to determine that the
change is worth feeling a bit uncomfortable, set that goal and begin moving toward
it in spite of feeling uncomfortable.
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