When It’s Hurting It’s Working – 13 tips of easing out of the Comfort Zone

Greetings!

Still trawling Google maps for the fastest route to Easy Street? Me too. A life of effortless ease, where doors of opportunity slide open with a Star Trek wheeesshka and you step forth brave, bold and buff as anything that’s ever been buffed.

It’s a delicious thought but about as real as unicorn dander. We crave lives without drama and disappointments, difficult conversations or onerous stretches out of the comfort zone.  To be able to eat the carbs while simultaneously develop abs and all without breaking a sweat or leaving the couch.

The Good News Is … it’s going to hurt.

But here’s the thing, the comfort zone is like your favourite pair of fuzzy socks—warm, familiar, and slightly smelly from overuse. Leaving it feels like stepping barefoot onto a Lego.

Our dreams and our best self lies on the other side of the comfort zone and we can see them on the horizon gleaming, grinning and beckoning “Come on in, the water’s sponsored by Pol Roger!”. 

But, oh, the resistance, the fear, the procrastination. Change is so painful. We crave certainty and the “known” and desire guaranteed success or mastery from the off. However, the magical payoff is that the more we step away from the comfy and cushy the more we grow and learn. It is worth embracing that temporary pain can lead to a growth in courage and opportunity.

A small price to pay for the evolution of our soul.

Comfort Zone Teleportation – some coaching tools to get you set on the life you want:

• Play the film of you taking the risk and describe what it looks like (best possible outcome)
• Play the film now of you not taking that step. What does that look like?
• Risks need to be taken from the “sweet spot” perspective – you have a lot to gain – it’s not too terrifying and you can cope with the fall out if it doesn’t.
• The truth is we are not afraid of failure but the fear is being seen to fail. So have a nice line ready for the finger pointers – “I was trying something tough, way outside my comfort zone to seriously improve my life. What are you doing?”
• Reframe fear as excitement. Prepare for discomfort as well as triumph.
• Taking risks is an insurance plan against living with regret.
• Whatever the outcome give yourself unconditional praise for doing it.
• You can’t control what happens but you can control how you respond.
• Think of all the meals out you can have if your risk pays off - or if it fails!
• Put it in cosmic perspective - how does this big leap you are doom-thinking about look from outer space?
• As the hero of your story what superpower do you need to take the next step?
• Think about all the hurdles and knock-backs you have overcome and in the past. You did it then. You will do it again.
• You’ve got this. Have your own back

Want to make that journey? Book a 30 minute free chat.