Every year at the beginning of the fall semester, life seems different. There are new classes, new people, new housing, and new beginnings. While all of this is exciting, it is also scary. It forces each and every one of us to leave our comfort zones. It can be hard to want to jump out of the comfort of summer and familiarity. It can be hard to face all of the new things and obstacles that approach when you decide to leave your comfort zone. But there are also many wonderful reasons to face these challenges and embark on a new journey.
1. It is the only way to grow
Growing does not seem easy usually. It takes time and effort. But, without growth, you will stay in the same place forever. There will not be any new adventures or people or opportunities. By stepping out of your comfort zone it will be challenging, but you will have a rush of new opportunities to grow and work towards new things.
2. You don't know what is out there until you look
It is easy to sit on a couch all day watching Netflix. Sometimes that is even a fun way to spend time. But, if you decide to spend all your time doing the same thing, you will miss out on all of the wonderful things that you haven’t found yet. By exploring, you may discover a new passion, idea, person, or adventure. That would never have been possible with your butt in the same place that it has always been.
3. A new friend might be just around the corner
New people can come into our lives every single day. Friends from past experiences will stick by your side but new friends bring new ideas and adventure. Stepping out of your comfort zone does not mean you forget everything that makes you who you are or the people you surround yourself with. It is simply venturing further to find new ideas and opinions. You might even find your newest adventure buddy.
4. It makes life interesting
Picture yourself doing the same thing with the same people every day for the rest of your life. If that sounds perfect, then I want to challenge you to try to step into a new place. Interest comes from new things. New ideas and challenge spark passion and adventure. Life can be boring if there is never anything new.
5.You can always get back up after falling down
At the beginning of this summer, I had no idea that I would be so much stronger than I was in May. But that only happened because I took a leap of faith out of the zone that I felt comfortable in. I tried new things. Yes, sometimes I did fall on my face. For instance, my adventure into surfing ended up with my face under water more than it was above. But I got stronger. I fell down but I got back up. I may never be fully comfortable in a new zone, but I wouldn’t be where I am now without the risk of leaving my very first place of comfort.
