We are told at an early age that growth, true growth, comes from getting out of our comfort zones. So, why is it so hard sometimes to step out of those safe and familiar places in our lives and seek out opportunities that can actually help us to grow?
Recently, I stepped out of my comfort zone by participating in an emergency services incident management training that was largely new to me. Getting ready for the class, I noticed how “uncomfortable” I was feeling. The questions and concerns that kept replaying in my head were things like: “ I don’t know this topic and material.” “ This is not my expertise.” “Should I really be here?” “I feel like an imposter.” Any of these sound familiar? My inner critic got really loud as the training grew closer.
Ironically, I am the one who signed myself up for this class. I did that all on my own. No one was pushing or prodding me and I wasn’t required to be here. I was the one who wanted to get out of my comfort zone. There was a part of me that really wanted to stretch myself, learn new things, and grow. One thing I have discovered over the years is that staying in my comfort zone eventually becomes “uncomfortable”. While it’s safe and predictable, I start getting restless and bored. I know from past experience that stretching myself can actually feel good— but not always at the beginning when there’s time to worry about the unknown.
So I showed up for class, a bit reluctantly. And after a few hours I started to calm down. After several days of training, the participants in the room were no longer strangers. The topic really wasn’t so foreign and it was interesting. And while there was much to still learn, I experienced something new and I began to see what was possible. I also met people with different backgrounds and expertise and that was interesting as well.
On the second day, while having lunch with some of the students, I realized how much I had relaxed, and how other people had relaxed too. As it turns out, I wasn’t the only one in the room who came to the class with a bit of apprehension and uncertainty. Go figure.
On the last day of the training, I took my final exam ( yes, there was a test, which brought up another kind of anxiety) and then walked out to my car. I stopped for a moment and looked at the snowy-capped mountains, and Mt. Sopras standing tall in the distance. The cold air and the incredible landscape took my breath away. I felt a sense of lightness and well-being. I felt connected to something new and different in myself.
Deciding to play, learning something new, and interacting with people I didn’t know, gave me a fresh perspective and it really was the payoff for leaving my comfort zone behind. Even though I dragged my feet to get here, the act of doing something new was worth it. I hope I can remember this the next time I venture out and take on something new. The exhilaration of learning outweighed the feeling of certainty I had in my comfort zone.
So, how would you describe your comfort zone? Does it serve you or hold you back? And if you were to step out, leave the familiar for something new, I wonder what you might discover?
Here’s to stepping out of our comfort zones and stretching into something new in the year ahead.