I'm never intimidated by what I don’t know. Not knowing often allows me to do things differently to others.
What intimidates me though is my comfort zone.
Because I know how hard it is to pull yourself out of the very zone you feel safe in.
It’s one of the toughest things to do.
Whenever I catch myself in my comfort zone, I always imagine myself standing in the middle of an invisible circle. A bubble. Within this bubble, there isn’t much incentive for me to reach new heights of performance. It’s here that people go about routines, avoiding any form of risk, causing their progress to plateau. However, pushing the limits of our comfort zone can bring meaning to our lives.
Change happens outside your comfort zone. Growth happens when you step out. So when you find yourself standing in the middle of that invisible circle; you will know when that is because we always know, you need to step outside. Clear your head and remind yourself of who you are, where you want to go and why you want to go there. Sometimes you even have to venture outside your world to find yourself.
Do you notice that, when we're in our comfort zone, we convince ourselves that we actually enjoy the things we currently do and dislike the ones we don’t.
In our comfort zone we are accustomed to the comforts of
"I cannot",
"I do not want to" and
"it's too difficult".
So we convince ourselves that “they're just not for us”.
And with every thought we build thicker walls between ourselves and everything else that makes us uncomfortable.
However, as you begin to take on new challenges and experiences, your comfort zone somewhat changes. Even the smallest changes make a difference. You will see new opportunities in place of the barriers you thought once were there.
Take the plunge.
Take some risks.
Watch the walls start to come down.
As my husband, business partner and mentor Steve McAree always says, "Don't be afraid of the storm Ozge, because you already know how to dance in the rain."
These words always encourage me, even although I'm generally dancing in the lounge.
Ozge McAree