I get it. "Comfort" is a big deal to us. We like the place where we think we feel most whole, but what are we missing out on by hiding behind it?

The truth is, you have no idea how putting yourself out there can make you feel more whole than you ever have. As they say, “life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

I used to date this guy back in high school and even let him be a huge deciding factor of where I went to college. He felt like home because he was my best friend for so many years before our relationship. I held on to him for too long because I was afraid of what was to come of being single. When I left him, I felt really lost for awhile because I had taken the "norm" out of my life. I felt like my life had turned upside down, and all I wanted to do was go back to him. Instead of running back to my comfort zone, I clung to a William Shedd quote that I still hold dearly: "A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for."

The truth is, leaving him and staying away from my comfort zone opened up opportunities that I never dreamed of having in my life and college town. I became closer with my family, my sorority, my future bridesmaids, my coaching jobs and my swim team. I found a new home, even though it's now in many places, where I question how I ever thought I was so happy before.

I know this guy who hides behind relationships because he is too afraid of what being single will do to him. In turn, he settles for girls with the personality of breadsticks. I know he can do better, but his comfort zone is killing his opportunities of true happiness. Yes, he would change by being single, and yes, that’s ok.

So what's holding you back? Is it the fear of leaving your hometown? The fear of leaving the job you hate? The fear of change? The fear that you could truly be happy in a different life situation?

Let your fear drive you. No great person became great by sticking to the norm. Just because you don't know what could happen, doesn't always mean it's bad. Sometimes you just have to leap. Have faith and stop going with the flow.

It's 2016. Try something new; do something crazy. Just don't let your comfort zone stop you from living a full life.