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[SLOW-MO GR] - Getting out of your comfort zone and why it's important! 11-17 March

Hi there!

Ah, the comfort zone. If life were an amusement park, the comfort zone would be a blanket fort right by the entrance...

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It doesn't seem that bad in there, and it isn't! It's comfortable and made just the way you like it. Maybe there's WIFI, Netflix and ice cream in there. Why would you ever want to leave?

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Unfortunately, the walls of the blanket fort aren't enough to keep you from hearing all the noise outside. You listen to the commotion and start to wonder... are those screams of joy? What are the people out there up to? What is going on?

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It seems so happy out there! But... you're already happy here. Here has everything you need. And besides, what if those aren't screams of joy but something else... no, you can't go out there. You try to stop the thought at once..

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But you can't get the 'what-ifs' out of your mind! What if it's no fun out there? What if you do have fun? You can't know for sure unless you try.

We may feel this way within many areas of our lives. By sticking to what is comfortable and familiar to us, we can predict what's going to happen, so everything is regulated. The risk of future anxiety and distress is lessened.

But sometimes, staying in our comfort zones stops us from doing things we really want to do. Worse still, it can stop us from discovering other new and exciting possibilities! Exposing ourselves to new challenges and changes helps us learn and grow. So, what's going to get you out of that comfort zone?

Maybe you start with small baby steps and focus on getting on that merry-go-round first...
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Or maybe you gather your courage and jump straight in line for the tallest roller-coaster!
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Either way, you step out of that blanket fort and look around. You didn't know the amusement park was so big! There's so many rides you didn't notice before. As you walk away, you turn back and think how small and cramped that old blanket fort looks now....

Join us next week starting on Monday 11th March to chat about getting out of your comfort zone and why it is important to challenge yourself sometimes with a new question each day! Smiley Very Happy

Hozzles
HozzlesPosted 04-03-2019 08:57 PM

Comments

 
 
 
 
 
ErinsAntics
ErinsAnticsPosted 12-03-2019 06:10 PM
  1. Is there anything you regret not doing or trying because you were too far in your comfort zone?  I'm sure there is but I can't honestly think of anything at the moment. I think there are things that people think I regret not doing or trying because I was too far in my comfort zone, like surviving the week long Year 7 camp instead of going home after one night due to anxiety (looking at my mum here); but I can honestly say I don't regret not going for the whole week in that situation as my anxiety was so bad and I was miserable. 
  2. What are some reasons you’re not stepping out of your comfort zone?Anxiety lots of anxiety, but I am working on it and my psych says I have come a long way and I am proud of myself for what I have achieved. 
 
 
 
 
 
scared01
scared01Posted 12-03-2019 05:02 PM
Is there anything you regret not doing or trying becasue you were to far into your comfort zone? what are some reasons your not stepping out of your comfort zone?

i regret not doing alot of things and still even though i regret them i cant bring myself to do much more than what im already doing. one reason would be because of what others would think, feeling selfish for doing something other than what im already doing, and a big one would be my anxiety. my anxiety still stop me from doing a heap of things.
 
 
 
 
 
dog_lover94
dog_lover94Posted 12-03-2019 12:09 PM

Sorry I am a bit late! Great answers so far!

 

1. Does getting out of your comfort zone always have to be extreme (like skydiving?) or can it be applied every day?

It can definitely be applied to every day things. I think trying anything that you normally wouldn't during your day is stepping outside your comfort zone. It may seem less extreme than skydiving but anything you do to step outside your comfort zone is a big deal!

 

2. If it can be applied every day, What are some small daily actions that we can take to step out of our comfort zone?

Going to new places, talking to new people, even initiating more conversation with people you see everyday, taking on new tasks, putting your hand up in class.

 

Is there anything you regret not doing or trying because you were too far in your comfort zone?

For me, I have been thinking of applying for new jobs for agggges now but have continued to put it off because I am in too much of a bubble at my current job (which offers me no opportunity to grow). It makes me really anxious thinking about applications and interviews and then training for a new job that I just keep putting it off!

 

What are some reasons you’re not stepping out of your comfort zone?

It makes me really anxious thinking about applications and interviews and then training for a new job that I just keep putting it off! I am also super comfortable with my current job and the people I work with.

 
 
 
 
 
May_
May_Posted 11-03-2019 04:52 PM

Awesome work @Hozzles! That's amazing that you've been sky diving and bungee jumping - you must be very brave! And super interesting to be able to compare it to the more every day experiences that are outside of our comfort zones. 🙂

@gina-ROI love the venn diagram - really highlights how important it is for us to keep pushing ourselves in order to grow.

1. Does getting out of your comfort zone always have to be extreme (like skydiving?) or can it be applied every day?
As @gina-RO mentioned, 'extreme' is really subjective and the things some people consider extreme may be completely comfortable for others. I think there are so many 'every day' and sometimes even unavoidable things that are really far outside of our comfort zones. So yes I think it can definitely be applied to every day tasks.

2. If it can be applied every day, What are some small daily actions that we can take to step out of our comfort zone?
Talking to people more - being the person to initiate conversations and say hello rather than waiting for others to do this, trying out something new that you've always wanted to do, doing things on your own that you would normally prefer to have someone with you, voicing your ideas in a group, work or classroom situation, and to say yes to opportunities when you are able to do so.

I love the idea that as we continue to push ourselves and grow, our comfort zone can expand. Things that we once saw as almost impossible can become much easier! 🙂

 
ecla34
ecla34Posted 08-03-2019 07:27 PM

@Hozzles  Yaaaaaaaay this looks amazing! I'm beyond excited about this one! Heart It's definitely a topic I need to apply to my life  Smiley LOL But who doesn't at times? 
This beautiful post got chewed up by our over-enthusiastic spam bot so i'll tag some peeps to let them know that it's up now so we can get this party started in anticipation of Monday!! Heart 😄 

 

 
 
 

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