What most want is to get better, but refuses to move out of the bubble that is their comfort zone. You want to do something new, but the whirlwind life you lead, consumes your day. So you decide to put off improving your life for another time, and will choose to do the safe thing.
What you want is to contribute more towards discussions, voice your opinion, but you hesitate and don’t bother getting in a word edgewise.
To grow, what you realize is you need to network with others you don’t know, who could help you open that window of opportunity.
But you don’t feel comfortable initiating conversations with strangers, so you stay in your lane.
You know you need to start making yourself get noticed more, to emphasize your professional accomplishments to advance your career at work.
You want to become more proactive, this to get promoted and earn more money. Yet, you feel uncomfortable when you need to toot your own horn.
Feeling Uncomfortable
The list you have of things which makes you feel uncomfortable are endless. But to grow, to take that next step going forward, this despite how insignificant it may be, you hesitate.
Tasks which may be simple for others, feels overwhelming to you.
Then there are the constantly moving targets, the changes which occurs in your life, and in the organization you work for.
What happens is things compound, and everything gets a lot more challenging.
What we’re constantly doing is crossing national cultures along with organizational cultures, this on a regular basis which clouds the issues.
We change our roles from being single to becoming parents, from employees to managers, from worker to entrepreneur. We’re constantly switching roles, needing to reinvent ourselves every time.
Nothing Ever Stays The Same
What’s also constantly changing is the world around us, as technology is speeding forward at unprecedented rates. We become unsettled and uncertain about ourselves about the big world out there.
The Internet and it’s evil step child social media, constantly bombards us with the latest war somewhere in the world. How horrific mankind and humans have become to one other.
We no longer know what’s true or not, as “fake news” is rampant everywhere in media.
The world has recently come to a standstill, and a global “reset” button is about to be activated, which terrifies everyone.
That Unpleasant Uncomfortable Feeling
Everyone wonders what will happen to their jobs, their welfare, their homes, health care, the future for themselves and their children.
For some, they’re thinking of doing something they would of never considered in their life, and that’s political activism.
Standing on the spectrum however requires the need to pull themselves out of their routine. To take on new roles and responsibilities, ways they’ve never dared in the past.
The need to consider new options along with new perspectives they’ve never thought of before, this to stretch themselves far beyond their comfort levels.
Living Inside Your Comfort Zone
There are only a few people who enjoy the associated stress, which comes with the strain of going outside their box. But as the saying goes, “that’s where the magic happens.”
Stepping outside that bubble, stepping outside from being comfortable, is the only area where we can grow, learn, and develop.
What doing so does is expands our horizons, this beyond what we ever thought possible.
There’s plenty that’s currently happening in our world we can’t do anything about. This from the dizzying pace of technology, to unexpected twists in politics.
Personal improvement as a result should no longer be an option, it should be a priority.
To Go Beyond Being Comfortable
So looking at the way our current world is trending towards, we as a civilization appears to be cornered, immobilized, and helpless.
So what we need is to focus on our particular personal comfort zones, and decide to take that leap.
We need to go and grow forward, beyond what we’re used to, and take that momentous uncomfortable jump forward.
We as humans, what we’re exceptionally good at, is to create rationalizations, this to avoid things we’re afraid or uncomfortable of.
What’s recommended is using this power of rationalization, for a greater purpose.
So instead of justifying why you shouldn’t be taking that leap of faith. Instead, convince yourself, give yourself reason and justification on why you should.
Instead of just working your job, or living your mundane life, this to avoid all the things that you’re afraid of, decide to get better. Go for it.
Take a deep breath and jump. Think about the support you’ll get from others, from those who care about you, once you take that leap.
It Begins By Starting Slow
You can begin right now, right away by taking a leap of faith. Rather than jumping in head first, take baby steps instead.
Decide to sign up and attend a public speaking class. Make your thoughts known in the boardroom or at the dinner table.
Have the courage to start that new business, or to ask that special someone out for coffee.
Experience how doing something new, something out of your comfort zone feels, and how others react.
While doing so, get someone to analyze, offer advice along with encouragement and criticism, this in advance to your challenging situation.
First you may stumble and fail, but that’s probable and expected. Just carry on.
In fact, that’s the only way you’ll learn and grow, especially if you can appreciate making mistakes are inevitable. That failure is the key to the learning process.
Realize it’s not easy to take a leap of faith, and know how to react once outside your comfort zone.
It takes bravery, effort, energy, focus, and determination. But if you’re motivated to take action, you’ll succeed.