How to get out of your comfort zone? 7 keys to get out of your comfort zone

If you are stuck in a gray life, you may be living in a bubble called a "comfort zone".

Broadly speaking, the comfort zone is a state of mind that does not allow personal growth and all those phenomena linked to learning behaviors that make us achieve a high degree of satisfaction with the way life is lived.

Although this comfort zone may seem pleasant (since it allows us to always remain on "autopilot"), it is not a sufficiently stimulating place, and in the long run we do not leave it. and in the long run not getting out of it can make us feel empty and lead to apathy or certain behavioral dynamics related to depression.

Between you and me... what's keeping you stuck there? Surely you've wanted to step up, be brave and take on the world, but you haven't done it. You may be suffering but you don't lift a finger because you are in your comfort zone. If you are afraid and anxious about leaving the past to fight for what you have always dreamed of, don't be so hard on yourself and get out of your comfort zone. You will see that a new and exciting world awaits you!

Reasons why you should get out of your comfort zone

Want more reasons to abandon the gray routine and get out there to pursue your dreams? Here are six reasons why you should consider stepping out of the comfort zone.

1. It will make you stronger as a person

Getting out of your comfort zone may scare you or make you anxious, but face the fear and you'll see that you're not alone. face the fear and you'll see that it's no big deal.. Feeling insecure is natural and even warns us that the road ahead will not be easy. But when fear immobilizes you, then it becomes a problem that will not let you develop your true potential. Start by acknowledging that you are afraid of the uncertain future, but adopt a positive mindset about it.

Allow yourself to fall from time to time and look at it as just another part of growing as a person. Get out of your comfort zone and enjoy learning, you will eventually be able to look back and feel proud of yourself.. Your personal development starts here, so think about what motivates you, isn't it really worth it to step up and fight for your dreams?

2. It will make you more creative

Stepping out of your comfort zone stimulates creativity as you learn about new possibilities and break away from what is routine. A study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology (2012) showed that students who spent a semester away from home scored higher on two creativity tests than those subjects who had not studied abroad.

On the other hand, another study revealed that the personality trait of "openness to experience," one of the Big 5, is the best predictor of creative achievement. This personality trait is characteristic of individuals who tend to take risks, challenge themselves or constantly try new things.

3. It will allow you to gain self-confidence

Getting out of your comfort zone and taking the necessary steps to achieve your goals will have positive effects on your self-efficacy beliefs (or self-confidence), that is, on the perception you have about whether you will be able to achieve your goals. This concept was introduced by the Canadian Albert Banduraone of the most renowned psychologists who elaborated the Social Learning Theory, which explains the regulation of human motivation and action.

Therefore, get out of your comfort zone and test yourself. will make you see with your own eyes that you have mastered certain skills that will allow you to get out of situations that may seem complicated at first glance. A positive self-efficacy perception is associated with positive thoughts and aspirations about successful behavior, lower stress, anxiety and threat perception, together with an adequate planning of the course of action and anticipation of good results.

4. It will help you pursue personal development

When we are young we are more prone to take risks, but as we get older we as we grow older, we learn to fear failure, which can lead to helplessness.This can lead to learned helplessness and paralysis (do you know the "paralysis of analysis"?). This can take a serious emotional toll if we don't change the way we think, as it can be an impediment to continuing our transformation towards greater well-being.

In his book "Self-Renewal," author John Gardner states: *"We pay a very high price for our failures and it is a huge obstacle in our growth. This causes our personality to fail to develop and does not allow for exploration and experimentation. There is no learning without some difficulty. If you want to continue to grow, you must overcome the fear of failure.".

5. You will meet new people and have new rewarding experiences.

Getting out of your comfort zone allows you to have new experiences, do activities that weren't on your agenda and meet new people.. This will allow you to have a more enjoyable life and make new friends. You may even meet the love of your life by getting out of your comfort zone.

6. New challenges can make you age better

A 2013 study found that learning new skills while maintaining a strong social network helps us to retain good mental acuity as we age..

Study leader Denise Park, a researcher at the University of Texas in the United States, concluded: "It seems that going out for activities is not enough. It is important to get out and do activities that are unfamiliar and mentally challenging, as they provide great stimulation both mentally and socially. When you are inside the comfort zone you may be outside the zone of improvement."

Some recommendations to achieve this

Of course, it's very easy to say it but much more complicated to do it. However, and although getting out of the comfort zone is complicated by the very definition of this concept, it is not mission impossible. If you need some help or keys to get out of the comfort zone, you can follow these behavioral guidelines.

1. Challenge yourself and perform at your best

Getting out of the comfort zone is an important aspect in personal growth, because it is it is not possible to think that we will get to the place we want to get to by doing just what is necessary and being immersed in the same routine we have always done..

Reaching new heights involves the risk of doing things that we are not so good at or that cause us some fear or insecurity (at least at the beginning). According to a study carried out by a group of psychologists, a little bit of anxiety can be positive to improve our performance and allows us to continue to grow professionally. Therefore, turn those situations that make you anxious into stimulating situations and don't let anyone stop you in your tracks. Don't call it nerves or insecurity, call it "excitement".

2. Think about your way of doing things... and act in the opposite direction.

Look for situations that may force you out of your comfort zone. Experiment with dance styles you would never associate with the way you are, get involved in creative projects that force you to think differently, to experience challenging contexts to adapt to.to experience challenging contexts to adapt to. If you set out to manage these changes, and they are not overly extreme, this will make you more flexible and more accepting of variability and change.

3. Look for material changes in the things around you.

To do new things that you are not used to, there is nothing like exposing yourself to new environments. Physically novel, literally. The key is to set yourself the goal of exposing yourself to new situations by making the spaces in which you find yourself different.

Dare to change the way you dress or decorate your home, move around in different environments and, of course, travel as much as you can or even move to another place, even if only for a while.even for a while. This will have a similar effect on you as the previous tip, only in this case, instead of varying the situations whose meaning you would not associate with yourself, you will do the same with physical spaces.

4. Anticipate all the excuses you are going to give yourself

Be aware that when you set goals that are uncomfortable for you within your comfort zone, you will unconsciously be looking for an excuse, unconsciously you will be looking for a lot of excuses not to do it.. Judge these excuses for what they are: inventions whose sole purpose is to rationalize the acceptance of comfort.

5. Expose yourself more to meeting new people

Don't like talking to people? Force yourself to do so, even if your body doesn't ask you to.. The dialogue doesn't have to be perfect, and people don't have to get the best image of you. Acting naturally, everything will flow as it should, and it will be fun to see how easily interactions with others can work if you don't think through what you are saying.

6. Get your friends and family to cooperate

If people close to you know that you want to get out of your comfort zone, they will help you do it and perhaps prepare some "surprises" for you. In the same way, when you take the initiative and undertake new and exciting projects, they will support you and probably show you signs of support or admiration, which will serve as reinforcement.which will serve as reinforcement.

7. Give your spiritual side a chance

Do you know the benefits of meditation or Mindfulness philosophy? There are habits that improve our mood and free us from many beliefs that anchor us in our comfort zone. Developing a spiritual self et is one of the most practical ways to achieve an emotional well-being capable of breaking with routine life.. You can start by reading this compilation of Buddhist phrases, maybe they inspire you.

Bibliographical references:

• Cajina Heinzkill, G. (2013). Rompe con tu zona de confort: 52 propuestas para tomar las reins de tu vida. Ediciones Oniro.
• Hemmi, M. (2013). Do you dare to dream: Put an expiration date on your dream and get out of your comfort zone. Ediciones Paidós.