Our comfort zone can be a nice, safe and familiar place however when we stay in our comfort zone, it holds back our own development & growth. It doesn’t allow us to enjoy new experiences, we don’t achieve our full potential and we can stagnate.
Sometimes the comfort zone becomes extremely uncomfortable; people can stay in a job too long, mistaking competence for confidence and the thought of promotion or changing jobs can fill them with dread; or within their own business, they can play safe, not wanting to promote themselves or their products/services as they fear rejection. People can stay in abusive relationships as they believe they wouldn’t be able to cope otherwise; their confidence has been severely damaged.
Often it’s because we perceive the unknown to be scary. We think we may fail (not realising that we can learn from any failings) or be ridiculed. We fear and “foresee” what may happen. Fear does protect us, however often this fear is unfounded. In cavemen times we needed our brains to very quickly inform us to fear so that we weren’t eaten by predators –I haven’t noticed any sabre-toothed cats around the UK these days though!
It is strange the things that hold us back and keep us in our small comfort zone.
At the moment I have set myself a goal to get fit (hey I am a coach!) I want to tone up my legs and bum, losing 3” by 28th Feb 2014. I have invested in a fitbit which has really helped me to be aware of the number of steps I do each day (coaching can be very static – especially working from home). As some of you know – I lead a busy life so fitting in time for exercise is challenging. I keep thinking I “should” go for a walk in the morning before my husband, Tim, gets up. Something has stopped me. I’m embarrassed to say that it felt “naughty” getting up before him!!! How ridiculous! Sounds very childish … so I wonder where that has come from!!!
At the time of writing this – Today I stretched my comfort zone and went for a power walk at 7am before Tim was up. It was easy! And I find with my clients that most times they do an action to stretch that comfort zone they are also surprised how easy it is.
By stretching our comfort zone we:
• become more open-minded,
• experience more,
• cope with change better
• become more resilient
• overcome fear of failure
• learn and improve ourselves
• increase our confidence
…and much more
What areas of your life do you want to improve? What’s the first step you can take to give that comfort zone a bit of a stretch?
• Do something different from your usual routine
• Learn something new
• Read, watch or listen to different books, TV or music that you usually would do
Lindsey works with people on a individual basis to enable them to achieve their goals and stretch their comfort zone.
Lindsey Reed is an experienced coach who specialises in enabling people to have more confidence in their lives. If you experience times of low self-esteem, self-doubt and lack in confidence, email Lindsey@glows-coaching.co.uk or call 01832 280168 to see how your personal and working life will be improved.
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