“Life begins where your comfort zone ends.”
We’ve all heard it, and it probably won’t be too long before someone says it again. When you hear a saying like this one over and over, it just becomes plain. Overused sayings become clichés, and then it is too easy for us to forget how much truth these sayings actually hold.
Life is full of unexpected surprises, and it is hard to plan for each and every turn. This is why we each create our own “safe space,” otherwise known as our comfort zones. We find the realm of life and activities we can cope with, and then we make these activities our routine. Our routine then becomes the only routine, and the things outside of that realm are avoided at all cost.
As a natural introvert, I find myself constantly being challenged to break out of my comfort zone. Either I am pushing myself, or friends and family are pushing me, but typically the pushing is met with stubborn resistance. “You’re not afraid of heights,” everyone would say. “Heights just aren’t inside your comfort zone.” The same went for elevators and anything else that seemed to terrify me. At first, I hated this. I hated the idea of someone telling me what I was and wasn’t afraid of. I think everyone experiences this in some way, at some point in life. It’s difficult, and it’s hard. Constantly hearing about your comfort zone and how you need to “expand your horizons” is daunting. You either give in to the pressure or you run and hide.
Here is your call to give in to the pressure. Let your friends and family positively pressure you into expanding your comfort zone because as cliché as it may sound, life really does lie outside of your personal cardboard box.
Imagine living in a cardboard house. You have everything you need, and you are happy. But in reality, how sturdy is this cardboard house? Anytime this wind blows the wrong way it may fall over. Anytime something hits against its side, the walls may collapse. Anytime it rains, you would end up soaking wet. After considering all of this, can you say you would be truly happy to live there? Probably not.
This hypothetical cardboard box is like your comfort zone. It looks great from the inside, but in reality, it is filled with anxiety and fear. Your comfort zone, which you created to protect you, is actually your biggest enemy. Anytime the wind blows and someone reminds you of what you are afraid of, your self-esteem is knocked over. Stop letting this happen. Sell your cardboard comfort zone for a sturdy life full of excitement and pleasure. It will be worth it in the end.
