9 ways to step out of your comfort zone while traveling
Be sure to think things through when necessary so that you're taking a smart step towards defeating your comfort zone. Stepping out of your comfort zone is a lot harder when you have someone pumping the brakes on every little thing. There has likely been a time where you've heard someone say, "I can't do that. That's definitely out of my comfort zone." After committing to putting myself out there more, I quickly realized that the HABIT of taking risks makes you more likely to expand your horizons and try other new things. Start that book or project you’ve always wanted to start.
As long as the decision to leave the comfort zone aligns with a person’s values, this shift is akin to making a bid for self-actualization. For one, not striving for growth could mean falling into a state of inertia later in life. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs operates like a ladder, with the satisfaction of our ‘basic’ and ‘psychological’ needs being analogous to inhabiting the comfort zone. But whether we’re conscious of it or not, the theory argues our next requirement is for personal growth and fulfillment. Aside from enhancing performance, there are plenty of less-direct benefits of leaving the comfort zone.
WikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 14 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. Have fun and enjoy the journey of “figuring it out” because that’s what life’s about. All you need is a goal and the clarity for the next step you need to take. You bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be one small step at a time. No one expects you to know the exact steps you’re going to take.
Think of something that you avoid due to your current comfort zone. Try to think about what is the worst that is realistically able to go wrong and how you could correct it if it did. A great way to force yourself forward on an uncomfortable path is to burn your bridges, e.g., If you want to get a new job, hand in your resignation at your current job. Talk to that person you’ve been meaning to get to know or join that group activity you’ve been curious about. In the worst-case scenario, even if you fail, you will have learned new skills, and that is already a good thing. Pick something that you have wanted to try for a long time, locate a local club or trainer and make a booking on the first available day on your calendar.
If you feel uncomfortable speaking in front of a room full of people, it may be helpful to take a public speaking course. Once you've taken the first steps to address your fears, it will be that much easier to overcome them eventually. If you want to step out of your comfort zone, try starting with small things so it doesn’t seem like a big jump. For example, talk to a stranger at the grocery store or listen to a new genre of music. Once these small challenges become a daily routine, you’ll find it much easier to tackle bigger challenges.
It's human nature to want to protect ourselves from the unknown, and we tend to pull our security blankets even tighter around us when we simply think about conquering our biggest fears. That little voice inside your head that always seems to come up with a clever way to opt out of experiences you might be dreading needs to go. Again, we know ourselves better than anyone, and it can be easy to fall Get Out of Your Comfort Zone into the same old patterns and routines that bring us comfort. Here we take care of you for a change – both as a mom, and as a beautiful growing person. I worked to step out of my comfort zone again in small, tangible ways.