10 Reasons To Step Out Of Our Comfort Zone

Our comfort zone is cosy and safe, right? It gives us a sense of familiarity, safety and security. This is an adaptation to help keep us safe, but it’s also starting to sound a little boring and suffocating, don’t you think? 

Imagine lying on your death bed and thinking, “Well what did I do with my life……..oh yeh, I stayed comfortable in my comfy comfort zone.” 

We are such creatures of habit that without realising it we set our comfort zone just through daily routine and habits. But to step outside of it doesn’t have to be overwhelming, you just need to include some “new” in your life! Try new food, go to new places, learn new skills or go on new adventures. 

We all have a different sense of our comfort zone, but the less we challenge it the smaller it becomes. As it remains unchallenged and reduces, so does our ability to adapt and cope with unexpected situations. But as we challenge ourselves our comfort zone becomes bigger and along with that there are many benefits that help us both long and short term.

But why are we often reluctant to step outside of our comfort zone and embrace new challenges?

It is usually fear that keeps us in our bubble, fear of failure. Whether you see the failure as a personal failure, letting others down or possibly failing to stay safe and in control it’s important to realise that we learn through our mistakes. But mistakes shouldn’t be seen as failures, just as learning opportunities. After all, FAIL stands for First Attempt In Learning.

10 Big Reasons!

1. Growth-

Challenging ourselves, learning new skills or going to new places enables us to grow as a person. Without personal growth you will never achieve your full potential, and what a waste that would be….

2. Boost Self Confidence-

There are many situations in life that can knock us and batter our self confidence, so it is always import to do activities to boost your own self worth and keep your confidence cup topped up.

3. Improves Mental Agility

By just carrying out the same routine each day, driving the same journeys, doing the same job, seeing the same people we can become mentally stagnant. By stepping out of our comfort zone it shakes up our mental awareness a little, resolves that stagnation and boost our mental capacity and agility. Regardless of age, learning new skills improves our mental agility and strengthens our existing mental capacity too.

4. Improves Creativity

Stepping out of our comfort zone allows us to think differently, see different opportunities and experience different environments. This in turn allows us to open up to more ideas and let creative juices flow. Also, breaking away from the daily routine will clear your head from the everyday mundane stuff that clogs up our thoughts and enables us to see things more clearly.

5. Improves Productivity

How productive are you? The same routine, the same office, the same journey to work…..you switch off right? It’s harder to be productive and inspired when you are stuck in the same routine. By stepping out and challenging yourself it shakes up your view on life and gives you more enthusiasm. This in turn gets you more focused, which in turn gets you more productive, because you aren’t so bored in your bubble!

6. Adaptable

Let’s face it, we never really know what life will throw our way so any chance of becoming more adaptable will definitely help us out long term. If you stay in your comfy comfort zone then any sudden life event that throws you uncomfortably out of your comfort zone will be far more of a shock to your system than if you regularly step out of it through choice. Or another way to view it, if you never step out of your front door and stay in your warm cosy house, then the day that some life event throws you out there into the the cold it will be far more stressful for you than if you go out there regularly through your own free will.

7. Stamina

No, sadly this doesn’t mean you’d suddenly be able to keep up with Mo Farah out on your runs, but more an increased stamina for life. Life doesn’t always run smoothly and some times we need to dig deep and keep going through some rough patches. This will be far easier for you if you challenge yourself on a regular basis, you’ll recognise that feeling of discomfort but you’ll also have the self-confidence and stamina to know you can keep going.

8. Life Long Learning

It doesn’t have to be as boring as studying for your exams at school, but by learning new skills and expanding your knowledge you are boosting your health and happiness. We all love that feeling of accomplishment when we’ve completed a task or learnt something new. Research has also shown this helps with a deep sense of contentment and happiness as we broaden our knowledge throughout life.

9. Reduces Mental Illness Risk

Possibly one of the most important, stepping out of your comfort zone will decrease your long-term mental illness risk. With mental illness on an alarming increase, any way to secure a good foundation of mental wellness is definitely worth doing. Although initially moving out of your comfort zone will feel uncomfortable and may lead to feelings of anxiousness, it will also give you a sense of purpose and boost your self-esteem, both of which are essential for our mental wellness.

10. Boosts Your Physical Health

As well as improving our mental health, leaving your comfort zone will benefit your physical health too. Feelings of improved confidence, happiness, mental wellness and creativity all act to reduce our physical stress response. This also helps to bring about better sleep and healthier lifestyle habits, which your body will thank you for. 

With so many benefits coming from venturing out of your comfort zone, isn’t it time you planned something to help you do that? Learn a new skill, go to new places, and experience new adventures.

Don’t miss out on life just because your bubble is so cosy…..