6 Tips for Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone — Taming Frenzy

When it’s time to break out of the comfort zone we all look for tips and tricks. It’s natural because working up the courage to take steps outside our comfort zone is hard — and anything that helps us gain courage and confidence is helpful.

We’re also curious about what strategies have worked for other people. We hold out hope that the things that have worked for others will work for us too.

And they should. After all, since we’re all human, some tips and strategies should be universal. Here are some that have worked for me and that I hope will work for you as well.

Tip #1: Acknowledge That You’re Not The Only One With A Comfort Zone

Yes, you’re unique and special…as we all are in our own way.

However, you’re also human and that means you share common traits with other humans.

One thing we’re all prone to is the desire for comfort. Few of us actually enjoy discomfort or anything even approaching it. We like to feel warm, safe, and comfortable. It’s natural.

That doesn’t mean that our comfort zones are all the same, of course. Just as we’re all unique, we all have unique comfort zones.

For example, I’m afraid of snakes and heights — those are things I try to avoid because they make uncomfortable (and, to be honest, really could kill me in some circumstances…or that’s how I justify those particular fears).

But those things may not bother you at all. You may be afraid of speaking in public or being on camera or of someone thinking you’re silly.

Since we all have comfort zones, we can take comfort in the fact that many of those people are also trying to break out of their comfort zones as well. Therefore, they’re more concerned about their own struggles and missteps than they are about yours.

I think we all worry that when we first start taking those tentative steps outside of our comfort zone that we’ll make mistakes. And the truth is — we will. But the benefits of getting outside our comfort zone are well worth it.

Any time we try something new and different, we’re going to make mistakes. And that’s okay. But we often let that fear of making mistakes prevent us from taking those steps because we fear ridicule from others.

Here’s a piece of advice that has always helped me feel better and that has given me courage tot try new things without worrying about what others might think:

“You wouldn’t worry so much about what other people think about you if you realized how little they actually do.”

Most people don’t spend nearly as much time thinking about us or focusing on our mistakes and mishaps as our fears want us to believe. They’ve got too much going on in their own lives to pay us that much attention.

But fear will tell us anything in order to keep us from making a mistake or looking foolish. And the “people will laugh” is just a lie to keep us safe.

Tip #2: Take Small Steps

When you make the decision to get out of your comfort zone, it’s important to remember that you’re not going to automatically be good at whatever it is that you’re attempting to try.

It would be nice if that happened, but it’s never been my experience…or the experience of others I’ve talked to.

So instead of expecting immediate perfection, we need to give ourselves grace and commit to taking small steps that will help build out confidence as we try new things and do things that are uncomfortable.

There are even things we can do from the comfort of our own homes to help us break out of the ruts we find ourselves in. Every step doesn’t have to be something life altering or physically dangerous.

And here’s something else that’s important: when we’re breaking free of the things that have held us back, we should celebrate all of the little milestones we overcome. We may think they’re little — and in reality they may be — but they’re huge when they’re things that have been standing in your way or have kept your imprisoned in your safe little zone.

Celebrate each step you take and each little bit of confidence that comes with it! It will encourage you to do more of it. Because those little steps make it easier for us to take more steps.

Tip #3: Do Uncomfortable Things In A Comfortable Environment

Perhaps you’ve always wanted to be comfortable singing in public. However, your fear of people thinking you have a lousy voice has always held you back.

Instead of signing up to sing at some very public event as your first step outside the comfort zone, you might consider singing at a small party or some small group where you’re surrounded by family and friends.

Having moral support can give us more courage than we might have on our own. Knowing you’re in a forgiving environment surrounded by people who aren’t going to judge or condemn you goes a long way towards making us feel comfortable enough to try something scary.

Lean on your family and friends for support. That’s what they’re there for — and you’d do the same for them.

Tip #4: Trust Your Decisions

Let’s be honest with ourselves for a minute, shall we?

You know in your heart that you’re not stupid, right?

You also know that you’re not reckless and irresponsible.

And you know these things because you’re got a lifetime of history that supports these things. Besides, if you were stupid, reckless, and irresponsible, you most likely wouldn’t be struggling with comfort zones in the first place because you wouldn’t be so comfortable in one.

It’s highly unlikely that you’re going to go from feeling warm and snug in a comfort zone to wild and crazy in one step. Your natural tendencies to not do foolish things are going to cause you to go slowly and cautiously.

After all, those same tendencies have helped you stay in a comfort zone till now, right? Does it make sense that those tendencies would simply disappear all at once simply because you made a decision to take a step out of your comfort zone? (of course not!)

You’re not going to go from Nervous Nellie to wild-and-crazy in one step. However, that doesn’t mean that eventually you may make such progress that where you are now becomes a distant memory.

But isn’t that the point? To get to a place where we’re comfortable with new circumstances and situations that we can’t imagine right now?

Tip #5: Allow Your Comfort Zone To Expand…Slowly

The good news is that you don’t have to go from zero to one hundred in sixty seconds.

You also don’t have to think that once you take a step out of your comfort zone that you must stay out of it forever. You can take the time you need as you’re breaking free from your comfort zone and deciding what steps to take.

This doesn’t mean that you never make any progress or that you take one step out then retreat to the comfort zone forever.

That wouldn’t do you much good, now would it?

But there’s nothing wrong with taking small steps — in fact, I recommend it. Just be sure that you continue to take those small steps and don’t stop.

Tip #6: Have Your Own Reasons For Breaking Out Of The Comfort Zone

I don’t know about you, but I’m stubborn.

I don’t generally respond well to ultimatums or threats and I definitely don’t do things just because someone else tells me to.

Perhaps I don’t “play well with others.”

But any time we strive to break out of a comfort zone…or try anything new, for that matter…we’d better be doing it for ourselves and not for someone else.

Some things are hard enough to do that without a very personal reason we’ll simply give up.

Getting out of a comfort zone is like that. Unless you’ve got a very good reason why it’s important to you to get out of it, you’re unlikely to keep doing the things that are necessary when the going gets tough.

After all, someone else can tell me I need to lose weight, but unless I am committed to dieting, I’m unlikely to pass up that Buster Bar when we pass by a Dairy Queen.

Motivation is very personal. No amount of begging, pleading, cajoling, shaming, or encouragement from someone else can get us to overcome our resistance unless we’ve got a very personal stake in the outcome (and have fully bought in to it).

So before you start your journey OUT of the comfort zone, spend some time thinking about why it’s important to you. You’ll need that information and motivation when you want to give up and retreat.

Conclusion:

You don’t have to remain stuck. Life is constantly changing and evolving and we should make effort to change and evolve with it. Besides, change leads to growth and grown is what keeps us young and involved in life.

Every step you take to break out of your comfort zone is a step in the right direction. Your future self will thank you for it!

For more information about dealing with and escaping your comfort zone, check out this book The Comfort Zone: Create a Life You Really Love With Less Stress and More Flow by Kristen Butler

Positive affirmations can give us inspiration and motivation when we need it. Get your copy of 25 Positive Affirmations to Help You Break Out of Your Comfort Zone today.

Originally published at https://tamingfrenzy.com on January 29, 2024.