“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” — Brian Tracy
The comfort zone, for those who are unfamiliar, is that cozy place where we feel all squishy and safe. Trouble is, the comfort zone is not progressive.
Kicking Butt or Laying Low?
Let's face it, if everybody was indeed Kung Fu fighting, we'd have a global population of ninja's urinating all over their comfort zones. Any dedicated activity, drive or passion requires — at some point — the collapse of the comfort zone or pushing yourself beyond what you think you can do or achieve.
No great man or woman became great by not bothering.
“I have stepped outside my comfort zone enough to know that, yes, the world does fall apart, but not in the way that you fear.” — Tan Le
Hence, — if you don't push yourself past your comfort zone — there will be very little chance of:
- Super serious adventure (the type that involve dizzy daydreams and hullabaloo)
- Mind-pickling creativity (envelope-pushing, innovative stuff)
- Dashing acquaintances (bow-ties, glass slippers…maybe even a hint of Spandex?)
- James Bond type action sequences or even those swanky Bond-ish cocktail parties (no, not in your cards if your comfort zone has it's way — it'll be Saturday night at the town hall playing Bingo for you!)
- Rave reviews, lavish affections and golden opportunities (the kind geese lay with cherries and lashings of champagne on top)
- Anything more exciting than fluffy slippers, junk food and watching Netflix…(as lovely as that can be, that isn't all life has to offer)
“A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.” — Denis Waitley
What Mr Waitley is trying to convey is that an exciting life — injected with passion and pizzazz — is never going to be yours if you're not willing to dip your toe into the icy waters of liquid potential. Liquid potential can be freezing, dark and wet but it could also hold the treasures of a sunken ship in it's watery abyss.
If you never try, you'll never know…sad thing is — if you don't try you'll always know. Familiarity breeds contempt. You're potentially going to lose respect for yourself if you don't pluck up the courage to venture into the unknown.
“Comedians tend to find a comfort zone and stay there and do lamer versions of themselves for the rest of their career.” — Chris Rock
Heart Wisdom, Feedback and a Gushy Ending
When you fling yourself out the door of familiarity into the wild and exciting wilderness, always remember that there is never failure only feedback. Even if you do stumble out there in the ‘uncomfortable' zone, don't give up! The only place you're going to find wonder and miracles is out there — so dust off and soldier on.
Thing is, IMHO, your comfort zone is in your heart — it should be what you carry around with you on the inside. It's never going to be ‘out there'. Read related article: How to Use Your Heart Wisdom
If you're comfortable with change and you're 100% in your integrity, you can demolish the comfort zone and never look back. All the magic you may be yearning for lies just outside of that comfort zone — the enchantment is just waiting for your leap of faith.
“The further you get away from yourself, the more challenging it is. Not to be in your comfort zone is great fun.” — Benedict Cumberbatch
Related article: 5 Steps to Stretch Your Comfort Zone, Take Risks, and Enjoy Them
The art used in this article is called ‘Exploding This Reality’ and was part of my solo exhibition called ‘Rocking Art'.
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Cherie Roe Dirksen is a self-empowerment author/columnist/radio presenter, multi-media artist and musician from South Africa.
To date, she has published 3 self-help and motivational books and brings out weekly inspirational blogs at her site www.cherieroedirksen.com. Get stuck into finding your passion, purpose and joy by downloading some of those books gratis when you click HERE.
Her ambition is to help you to connect with your innate gift of creativity and living the life you came here to experience by taking responsibility for your actions and becoming the co-creator of your reality. You can follow Cherie on Facebook(The Art of Empowerment — for article updates). She has an official art Facebook page (Cherie Roe Dirksen – for new art updates). You can also check out her Facebook band page at Templeton Universe.
This article (Comfort Zones: Embracing the Beauty of Awkward and Uncomfortable) was originally written for and published byConscious Life News and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author Cherie Roe Dirksen and ConsciousLifeNews.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this Copyright/Creative Commons statement.
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