“Move outside your comfort zone.” This ancient wisdom has been passed down through the ages by prophets, sages, and even school teachers. People know this advice and sometimes follow it. The struggle faced by so many who hear this advice is putting it into practice. We know the benefits of moving oustide our comfort zone, but how do we do it?
Through my intense experiences in a one year Masters in Teaching program and National Guard Officer Candidate School, I learned 4 ways to make the process of moving outside your comfort zone easier and workable in everyday life.
1. Change Your Thoughts
When was the last time you took a step back from your daily routine and analyzed what it is you really do?
Take a moment to think about it.
Is your life what you want it to be?
If it’s not, I have good news. You can change your current reality!
Create a picture or vision of what a new reality looks like. Get specific with this vision.
Clearly define what you really want from life and develop the plan to get there.
This works best when you work with your spouse or kids to create a family vision.
2. Embrace Fear
Often it is easier to define our desires than to define what we are willing to do to accomplish them.
What was the last obstacle you faced?
How did your overcome it?
How did it change your life?
Obstacles will always be there, and something will always get in your way. They are an assumed force of nature, but can be overcome.
Every time we overcome an obstacle we gain confidence and grow our character.
Every time take control of our situation and our life to become happier and more productive.
Every obstacle we overcome inspires others. We can inspire our kids to move outside their comfort zone and achieve more. We can inspire them to take action. We can inspire their trust.
3. Start a New Hobby/Sign Up for a New Event
My kids registered and completed the IronKids fun run when the IronMan triathlon came to town. This one mile race was a chance for them to try something new.
My youngest son made sure I trained him throughout the weeks leading up to the event.
My oldest son was angry I signed him up in the first place.
The day of the event both of them ran hard. My oldest son poured out excitement after crossing the finish line.
He made it!
He embraced something new and earned a powerful reward.
You don’t have to go sky diving or run a marathon to get outside your comfort zone.
Often times it is the small wins that help you grow the most.
4. Be Present
Ask anyone around you how they are doing and “busy” is their likely response.
How often do you take the time to live in the present moment?
Too often we enjoy being busy because it is comfortable.
We take delight in our distractions.
It is difficult being in the present moment. It it hard to handle silence.
Try it though.
The time I spend with my wife and kids 100x is more real and meaningful when I’m present with them.
Life gets busy for everyone.
Why fill our time with projects and events that have little impact on our personal or family growth.
The word growth has an implicit meaning of something being stretched or expanded.
The only way I have seen growth is when I get out of my own way and leap outside my comfort zone.
