7 Practical Ways to Break Out of Your Comfort Zone

May 19 2017

Have you ever been bored? Have you ever felt as if you were stuck in an excitement “rut” because you believed you were limited in your social skills, or were simply afraid of stepping outside your comfort zone?

Sometimes we all become a bit stressed about where we think we are in terms of being able to “live” life, rather than simply following the same cycle of routines day after day. But, the harsh question sometimes applies to most of us: Are you growing in your personal development, or are you in the “rut” of a hum-drum existence that, though boring and unfulfilling, has become…too comfortable to challenge?

Josh Hinds offers “7 Practical Ways to Break Out of Your Comfort Zone” that are easy to grasp and apply to your own situation and that, happily, don’t have to cost you much in the way to time and money.

The first thing Hinds says you should consider is Education. Moving out of your comfort zone can be helped by developing your mind. Broaden your grasp of the world! Make an honest effort to learn the eternal truth that the world is much bigger than yourself and that this world is just waiting for you to explore! And, as Hinds points out, education will help protect you against the imaginary dangers that you think are out there.

Learn to face your fears. People naturally try to avoid uncomfortable situations. But, to grow in your personal life means taking hold of your fears rather than letting them take hold of you. Often the reality of the situation does not add up to the imaginary horrors you’ve created in your own mind, and the power you’ve given these horrors to control you. Stretch yourself! One tactic is to face your fears one step at a time. Don’t try to attack your fears in one bold move, but nibble away at them step by step.

Go out with a friend. If you’re trying to get out of your comfort zone, continuing to go out alone does not help you. The advantage of going out with friends is that they look at the world in a way different from yours, and can help you expand your views. You need new exposure so get out there and broaden your horizens!

Do something “weird”. For example, do you dance? If not, get out there and try it anyway! If you do it badly no one will probably notice, and you might even learn to like it. Whatever new or weird thing you choose to explore should not be consistent with your usual routine or personality. It does not have to be anything as radical as skydiving or bullfighting, but something you’ve thought about but were leery to try for fear of what others might think. Forget about the others and go for it!

Make new acquaintances. One symptom of being in a „rut“ is hanging around with the same people day after day. Though they may be good friends it is unlikely that they’ll push you to discover who you want to be and to push beyond your comfort zone. Meet some new people! It doen’t have to involve expensive dinners or other costly actitivities. Taking a class, joining an interest group, or simply engaging people in conversation in public establishments can work for you.

Feed your mind with positive memories. Fear of the unknown is powerful. To one degree or another everyone feels it. Many times fear of the unknown can be caused by bad experiences or negative memories. Think positive thoughts! Come on, not everything in your life has been bad! Think back on the successes you’ve enjoyed and the good times with friends and relatives, or even just memories of good books or movies. The important thing is to dump the bad memories in favor of good ones. Remember, it is difficult to learn new things if you don’t unlearn the old!

Use other techniques to pump yourself up. Positive memories are not the only way to pump yourself up. Other techniques such as breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, using your imagination to place yourself in positive situations, physical exercise, or even going to concerts or to the cinema can help you become more positive about yourself!

Josh Hinds‘s suggestions can be helpful to anyone. It’s just a matter of getting up from your comfortable chair, leaving your comfortably hum-drum thoughts, or engaging in new activities in order to expand beyond your comfort zone, and begin to live a bit!