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The other day I was thinking about those psychological barriers we put on ourselves called comfort zones. Those areas or events which we feel good when we are there. It is our safe place. It is where we feel warm and fuzzy. Nothing can happen to you when you are in your comfort zone. You must break out of your comfort zone to develop.
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Breaking Out Of Your Comfort Zone
For most people, their comfort zone is their home. You feel safe and comfortable inside your home. You can control what goes on there. On the other hand, if you leave your home, you lose control. When you walk into a building you have never been inside before, you feel nervous and uneasy. That warm and fuzzy feeling inside is no longer there. Your senses are heightened because you are outside of your comfort zone.
Your comfort zone is created in your mind. It is a mental boundary based on your past experiences. Everyone has a different comfort zone. Some are small, and some are extensive. Some people are only comfortable inside their homes, but not everyone. If they relate their home to previous bad experiences; it will not be comfortable for them.
Comfort Zones In Your Mind
Your brain is designed for survival and to keep you safe. It creates these comfort zones based on your experiences. Negative experiences as a child manifest as fear. Those experiences would become fearful to you and would be outside of your comfort zone.
What I am talking about is boundaries. Your mind has created these boundaries to avoid the fear that you manifested. You are born with only two fears. The fear of falling, and the fear of loud noises. All other fears you manifest, and all fears can be controlled.
When you decide to expand your comfort zone, it is a painful process. You have to overcome years of boundaries formed in your mind. Your fears will have to be faced, but you can do it. A way to describe your comfort zone is to think about a dog and an electric fence.
No Fences
When my wife and I were in Colorado, I noticed our friends’ neighborhood had no fences to separate the properties. In Florida, almost everyone builds fences around the property. I inquired as to why they didn’t build fences. The reason is that they have herds of elk, deer, and even the occasional bear wandering through the neighborhood. Therefore, the HOA outlawed fences.
Our friends have two large dogs, so they put an underground electric fence as a boundary. The dogs can run around the yard, but if they try to leave, they get a mild electric shock. It teaches them how far they can go. Inside the underground fence is the dog’s comfort zone. It becomes painful when they try to go outside their comfort zone. You are no different. You have created a boundary that becomes painful when you go outside it.
The dogs manifest a fear of the edge of the property. When they try to leave, they feel the discomfort of the collar and go back to their comfort zone. They are happy in their comfort zone. It is their warm and fuzzy place.
She is A Looker
What happens when one dog decides it wants to expand its horizons and leave? Maybe the dog is a male and sees a beautiful female dog a few houses away. First, it would slowly approach the edge, receive the shock, and jump back. Its desire to meet this female is strong. Instead of going back to its comfort zone, this time the dog stays and tries again.
Each time it receives the shock, it gets less painful. It is becoming comfortable being uncomfortable. With each try, the dog gets farther and farther, until they break free of the pain. It now has new areas to explore and sniff. New experiences are waiting for him, along with the female dog.
Painful?
Was it painful? Yes! Why didn’t he go back to his comfort zone? Because his reason for wanting to get out of the yard, (the female), was bigger and more powerful than the pain. As a result, he expanded their comfort zone. Like the dog, you must break out of your comfort zone.
If your reason for wanting to change your life is larger than the pain of leaving your comfort zone, you will do it. Slowly begin doing the things you are not comfortable doing. Try to do it a little at a time, and the pain and discomfort will diminish. You will be expanding your comfort zone. You might even break free of it altogether.
Self-improvement is painful. You have to face your fears and deal with the past. Your past has shaped you into the person you are today. You have the power to improve your future. Break out of your comfort zone for yourself and your family. Start doing those little things today!
[…] Break Out Of Your Comfort Zone […]
Very interesting analogy! Breaking out of your comfort zone can be very difficult but worth the discomfort.
Thank you for your insightful comments. I appreciate your thoughtful words. ❤️🤗🙏
that comfort zone is looking good right now to me Scott since I’ve been so outta mine for quite awhile but you are soooo right.. great job here.. 💖💖👏👏
It is warm and fuzzy. 😁
💕🌺🙏
This reminds me of interval training for ultimate. When we’ve run a certain length of time our body will try to tell us to stop. But really that’s only around 80% of the running we are capable of doing. We have to train our mind – and body – to know we can run for longer.
That’s a great analogy to use. Controlling your mind to get the most out of your body.