The View from Outside Your Comfort Zone
We've all heard how important it is to step out of our comfort zones every now and then - but why does it matter? After all, comfort zones are comfy.
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If you think back to when you were a kid, you'll likely find plenty of memories of someone pushing you out of your comfort zone.
Maybe it stressed you the heck out when your teacher assigned your partner or group, instead of you getting to choose which of your friends to work with (I know it did for me!).
Maybe your mom said you had to go to so-and-so's birthday party, even though you didn't know anyone else.
Maybe your swim teacher told you to let go of the wall and tread water just a little bit longer than the last time.
Each of these scenarios gives me a healthy dose of "yikes, no thank you," even today.
At the same time, when I worked with people I didn't know in class, I felt less nervous to talk to them at lunch or during gym, because now I knew them.
When I went to a birthday party having known only one person, I got to hang out with the other nervous girl holding down the corner of the room, and left with a new friend.
When my swim teacher tried to drown me (kidding), I got to actually test my developing skills, instead of just playing it safe like I definitely would have done otherwise.
Leaving Your Comfort Zone in the Rearview
This might seem wildly irrelevant, but bear with me: When you think of Crossfit, what comes to mind?
For me, it was carrying sandbags, grunting loudly, super intense abs, and a shrine to protein. It seemed wholly intimidating and inaccessible. The dedication to gaining super strength was not something I envisioned for myself, but at 22 I had never really been excited by exercise.
I was lucky however to already have two tattoos when I joined a Crossfit gym, so I felt a little more legit even though I was not at all strong (not kidding, I really felt like that).
I jumped right out of my comfort zone into the weirdest and most formative six month experience of my life.
I felt wholly out of place in a room full of Crossfitters as a non-Crossfitter.
The room (or warehouse would be a better description) was so so loud. I do not like loud things.
There was no designated space for each person, everyone kind of claimed their spot on the floor or at the rig with each transition to a new workout. I like a predetermined plan and personal space - lots of it.
Sometimes there were sweat drips on the floor. I thought this was totally disgusting and how were we all ok with this lawless environment?!
Needless to say, I was a fish who purposefully jumped out of water, in order to experience something new.
What You Can Gain from Leaving Your Comfort Zone
I learned a ton in my six months of lifting heavy things and putting them back down again. I mean, Crossfit.
Who knew getting out of your comfort zone can teach you so much!
You can replace old rules with new rules
It's okay to be messy - It can even be fun.
I don't know about you, but I typically like the house clean, the closets organized, and the fridge non-sticky.
Crossfit taught me that I can throw heavy things on the ground (to this day I can't think of a single thing I allow myself to purposefully throw at the ground - just, imagine how freeing), sweat on the floor, get chalk on my face, and sometimes smell very very bad. I did not let myself be messy before this experience.
I learned that sometimes it's fun to be messy and dirty and wildly outside of your comfort zone, because who the heck cares and you can clean it (and yourself) up later!
Like I said, freeing.
Meeting new people isn't actually that scary
Strangers don't have to be strange - they can be genuine people with kickass jobs and hobbies.
I met doctors, nurses, equestrians, chefs, engineers, and lifelong learners just looking to try a new skill. I met people with beautiful tattooed body artwork, and LuLuLemon fashionistas who could lift more than I could ever dream.
I learned that to judge a book by its cover would give you absolutely no indication of its content, and you would miss out on some rad learning and connection.
The best way to learn about yourself, is to do
Doing workouts with inspiring and in-the-zone people taught me that I'm actually not a competitive person. I did not know that before!
I cheated. Like, a lot. I rarely counted my reps because 1: I hate math, and 2: I didn't care how many reps I actually did.
If I liked a lift, I did more of it! If I hated an exercise (hello, burpees), I did way less! I truly did not - and do not - care about numbers.
This allowed me to get out of my head and into my body and focus on how I actually felt. I absolutely value how I feel over how I'm performing any day of the week.
When your body changes, your brain changes
Strong actually feels amazing. This is going to sound outrageously weird, but when I did Crossfit I...stomped...more. (I told you it would sound weird!) I no longer walked delicately around my house. I lumbered. I swear my leg muscles felt incredible and so there.
I walked with intention and owned the room, even if the room was just my kitchen. (I'm telling you, watch any video of a bodybuilder - they lumber. It's a thing!)
I learned what it actually felt like to walk with confidence, and I would never have found that out unless I had jumped right in.
The seemingly unachievable may actually be achievable
I could actually become strong.
I'm sure I'm not alone in this, but I really do not like to work out. I am not competitive, with myself or anyone else, and exercise often does not hold my attention. I have a hard time getting out of my head and into my body and getting into a flow mode when working out.
Anyone else just thinking of their to-do list while running on the treadmill?
Anyway, I was used to just being non-muscular that I didn't really think I could gain significant strength. I didn't weigh myself (I try to operate on how I feel - numbers are dumb), so I can't actually tell you if I gained muscle. But let me tell you when you have chest and bicep muscles it feels GOOD.
I had no idea I could gain strength, and it changed my outlook on so many other things I thought I couldn't do.
Trying something new is awesome, even when it's not
If I never tried something that I was equal parts intimated by and interested in, I would never have learned all these things.
Embrace that YOLO mindset (responsibly!) and go try the thing you've always thought was cool or interesting.
You might hate it, but who cares! You did a new thing, and now you can go get a marg with your friends and share a fun story about your latest (mis)adventure!
Ideas to Get Out of Your Own Comfort Zone
Your comfort zone is comfortable, so it can certainly be hard to leave it - especially if you have anxiety (Welcome to the club! We unfortunately do not have T-shirts, but we do have a ready-packed bag of excuses on why we can definitely not go skydiving with the rest of the bachelorette party).
So, if you're considering stepping out of your bubble, check out this list of ideas you might like to try.
If you're looking at colleges or graduate programs, send an application to your "stretch" school. You never know what could happen!
Take a class to try something new! Cooking, crafting, writing, a new language, computer code - you name it. You need to check out edX - it's an excellent resource for lifelong learners who want to learn something new. I have taken so many online classes to nurture things I've always been interested in, and it has been life giving! I've taken a nonfiction book writing class, a meditation class, and a class on search engine optimization. I can't recommend this more!
Stretch yourself by emailing that person you know who has the job you've always thought was cool and ask if they have time for an informational interview. Don't know someone personally with your dream job? Try searching on LinkedIn! (Check out this post where I did just that, and landed my current job).
Book a trip somewhere new - it can even be in your home state!
Invite your coworker to check out the new brunch place with you. Making friends as an adult is hard, so get over that first awkward friend date and get onto knowing someone new!
Bring anything that catches your eye into the dressing room. This might sound shallow at first, but it can truly be so easy to feel stuck in our routines or what we think "fits" our personality. Shake things up for yourself and add a bright color to your outfit, get a haircut you've always wanted to try, or try a new trend that you've always thought looked interesting. I tried high-waisted jeans once and I have never looked back.
Ready to say "bye" to your bubble?
Hopefully you feel energized to try something new, and break down any self-imposed barriers. You will only grow by leaving your comfort zone!
One of my closest friends met her boyfriend because she joined an adult kickball league to make friends and get some exercise after work. When she told me this, I thought it was the most terrifying thing I could think of, but she did it! And she met some great people, by kicking her way out of her comfort zone (pun intended).
So, what do you want to try next to stretch yourself just a little bit in a positive direction?
How is your comfort zone limiting you?
How can you jump out of your comfort zone in small ways everyday?
Tell us in the comments!
Yours in discomfort for growth,
Emily Rose // Miss Magnolia
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