Copyright © 2020 Lee Spirit
Hiking and skating always involve a little risk taking! This was a hike I did last weekend that turned into more of a scramble when we took the wrong turn! Down below is the Spray Lakes Reservoir, where we spotted what looked like a hawk circling around. We later discovered it was someone skating on the frozen reservoir with a hockey stick and a kite flying! Now that would be outside of my comfort zone when it was above 0 Celcius! Hence this post on risk taking and getting out of your comfort zone!
Staying Comfortable Can Be Risky
Comfort zones are so great in that they provide a place or state of familiarity, regularity, safety, security, and you guessed it! Comfort!
But be careful about staying in this zone for too long! (I’m super guilty of this one!) It can impede your success, your creativity, and can make you stagnant, habitual, and stuck in a rut!
If you’ve set goals for yourself that are taking too long to accomplish, someone might say to you, “You need to get out of your little bubble!” (Yep, someone said that to me once!) It might not be something you really want to hear! Getting out of your comfort bubble may mean doing something risky that you’re not totally confident in trying. Or it may stir up uncomfortable emotions, such as fear, embarrassment, or defensiveness, like, “How dare someone tell me to get out of my bubble!”
The Plus Side of Risk Taking
There are some benefits to risk taking and moving outside of the box though. For instance, it gives you the opportunity to grow into the tiny seed of potential that you are! If you stay stuck in your habits and routines, you aren’t growing or learning anything new. As soon as you take a baby step into the unknown, the doors of opportunity will open for you baby! Sometimes we’re blinded when stuck in our routines and can’t see the possibilities that are right there waiting for us. We can’t see until we take the leap of faith, and then when we reflect back, we may kick ourselves for not having moved outside of our comfort zones much sooner!
When you realize you’re more productive and have achieved so much more, you will reap the benefits of stepping outside your comfortable bubble. Don’t you want to feel the excitement of trying something new, and perform at your peak rather than just doing the minimal work to get the job done? Don’t you want to find smarter ways to work instead of harder ways, getting things done in less time and making more time for what really matters to you?
Be aware that moving outside of your comfort zone requires risk taking, and dealing with uncertainty. It sounds scary, but it will prepare you to face unexpected changes in the future.
How To Break the Comfort Zone Habit
- Take Your First Baby Step
It isn’t easy, but gather up your courage – We all have an Inner Soldier! See, feel, and believe that you can do more, and be more! You will build momentum and keep moving by taking that first itsy bitsy baby step! When you have done so, you will know that you can really do it, and the rest will come naturally! The universe works in your favour in that once you decide to move, it will do everything in its power to support your progress forward!
2. Find Your Why
Look, if you’ve made a long-time habit of playing it safe, go within yourself to find your “why”. Why do you want this change? Keep asking yourself why until you are down to the very last answer. It will keep you motivated and driven to do the things you are afraid of, and to find comfort in the uncomfortable. It will keep you on track, and help you through challenges. It’s important when times get tough and you feel down on your luck to remember your purpose. For instance, if your purpose is to serve others and help them achieve something, remembering the lives you might change with your work will help you stay focused.
Risk Taking and Fear:
3. “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway“
Risk taking and change are scary, but when you see that you are not achieving things like you had hoped, your self-esteem might go down the tubes. In reality, what you most need to do is to expand your boundaries and go beyond the “same old, same old” routine.
The only way to overcome your fear is to do what you are most afraid of, and do it on purpose! Face your fears, and you will realize that it often exhilarates you and excites you! Prepare yourself and go on that risky hike! Go on that solo vacation even if you’re scared! A whole world of possibility awaits you!
Many of the things we fear are at the emotional level – Fear of failing, fear of ridicule, or fear of criticism. None of these are physical dangers that could result in death or injury. So go for it, and don’t mind what other people might think!
Risk Taking and Change:
4. Do One Thing Differently Every Day
Make change and doing something new and different a priority for each day, and make it your “new normal”. Try taking a new route or mode of transportation to work. Eat at a new restaurant, or try a different meal. Observe your surroundings and the beauty of nature, and see what you may have missed before. When you get used to trying out new things, you will be surprised at how changes become less intimidating and getting out of your comfort zone becomes easier.
Achieve your goals today, and make your dreams a reality by risk taking and getting out of that comfort zone! But remember to stay in balance, so you don’t overdo it. It’s still important to have that space where you can be emotionally safe and comfortable, and where you can process your experiences. Just move forward and then retreat and relax, just like the ocean waves move in and out over the sand.
I wouldn’t recommend skating on open ice like the skater with kite and hockey stick down below our hike – Not when it’s above zero! But it did look like a perfect day, and the ice smooth as glass! So that person definitely took a risk that was probably quite exhilarating and worth it for them!
Here’s a quick 3-min motivational YouTube vid on Getting out of your Bubble!
 Lee Spirit is an avid outdoors adventurer with a love for nature, photography, health & fitness, wellness, and spirituality. Her own personal journey has led her to the study and practice of mindfulness, health, wellness, yoga, spirituality, sound healing, meditation, and personal development for over 20 years. Get weekly Mindfulness tips, and instant access to PDF report on reducing stress, and sound healing here.