There you are. Perfectly comfortable in your bubble. Like a turtle in its shell, minding its business and mindlessly existing. And that's okay for some, to simply exist in a world cluttered by too many changes, too many ideas and too many people. But how boring it must be to never push yourself past the point of transformation, to never burst your personal bubble and take a leap out of your comfort zone.
The turtle, for example, is simply there. But what if one day it decided to crack open its shell and escape the walls it has grown so accustomed to? The hard outer layer that has protected the little reptile all of its life and made him (or her) feel safe, made him feel comfortable is no longer its home. Naked and vulnerable to the world, this turtle has to learn how to be without its shell in order to grow as a new being.
Now, understand that this is a metaphor and turtles can't actually slip out of their shells so 1. don't take this too literal and 2. try to hear me out. But, willingly or not, this symbolic turtle is forced into uncharted territory physically and psychologically.
On one hand that's terrifying. It's scary to be so exposed and so far outside your comfort zone. But, on the other hand, it can be the most exciting experience of a lifetime to be pushed to limits you didn't know you could transcend.
Personal growth doesn't happen by staying comfortable. It stems from putting yourself out there, baring yourself to ever critic and every experience as you live and you learn. Isn't that what life is all about?
So whether it be flying to a foreign country for the summer and becoming a part of a family with people you never knew existed beforehand or simply walking up to a random person and sparking up a conversation with them, getting out of your comfort zone is essential to discovering who you are.
Rome wasn't built over night and neither will the person you ultimately become. Don't feel as though you have to do something so drastic or put yourself in a wild situation to find yourself. Instead, take it day by day. Push yourself to places where you wouldn't go yesterday, but will tomorrow. Take advantages of the opportunities knocking at your door while also not always waiting around listening for that knock.
As the movie UP preached to its viewers, "Adventure is out there." It's your job to decide whether you want to chase after it or let the adventure of life pass you by. Don't be a a grumpy turtle that, if it could be free from its shell, would forever stay comfortable. Capture what life has to offer and hit the ground running.
