Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Exercises to get out of your comfort zone

13.10.2023

The comfort zone is identified as a person’s way of life, in the conditions in which he feels psychologically comfortable. His condition is formed due to stereotypes and living according to a template. This provides predictability. A person routinely repeats certain actions and knows in advance about their results. An imbalance of the constituent elements of a condition is always associated with discomfort. What dangers does the comfort zone pose and how to get out of it?

Comfort zone

Dangers

The longer a person is in a predictable world, the more difficult it is to make a decision that does not lend itself to the laws of routine life.

Any unusual action shocks and frightens. A person loses orientation in the outside world and begins to believe that only troubles await him beyond. He cannot accept such gifts of fate, which can become a source of previously unknown sensations received as a result of life changes.

Leaving the established circle of home-work-home is painful and is associated with falling into the abyss. Life in this mode contributes to the degradation of personality, since a person voluntarily refuses the prospects offered by life.

The state of a person in the comfort zone resembles immersing him in a warm bath. It relaxes and calms down, which promotes good sleep. However, if the stay in the water is extended for a long time, the muscles will lose tone and stop obeying their owner, as a result of which he will not only be unable to run, but also to stand still.

Algorithm of actions

Delay in the comfort zone has a negative impact, first of all, on a person’s consciousness. He loses the will and ability to think objectively. Solving even simple life problems becomes the cause of difficulties and problems, due to the impossibility of independently finding the answer to them.

Constantly staying in a limited living space, a person becomes a vegetable. He performs the same tasks every day and moves along the same trajectory.

The best time in a person's life is characterized by creativity and fruitfulness. He is unlikely to remember well-fed and comfortable times, but he will certainly remember vivid impressions from periods of crisis, sleepless nights as a student and dangerous travels.

Signs of being in the comfort zone

Outside the comfort zone is the risk zone. In it, miracles happen to a person, opening the way to another world, however, access to it is necessary for learning new things and for development. Young people often expand their boundaries, while older people strive for peace. A person cannot linger for long within the confines of convenient circumstances, since staying within the zone, he dooms himself to ordinary existence and the tedious expectation of its end.

Comfort zone in a person's life

How to understand that a person is stuck in a comfort zone? It is enough for him to imagine himself in other circumstances, uncharacteristic of his everyday life. If the first feeling is fear, then this is a sign that it is time to leave established boundaries, since it indicates an unwillingness to change something in your life.

Fear makes a person resist change, pretend that everything is normal and hide from the problem. The best recommendation in this case is to work on yourself, focused on expanding life boundaries through internal acceptance of new circumstances.

Read also: What is included in the insurance period for calculating a pension?

Real life begins outside your comfort zone.

To get out of it, you need to understand the fact of your own dependence on circumstances. A person will be able to break it only if he understands the lack of development and his own degradation as a result of stereotyped actions. A familiar but low-paying job, an established but unsatisfying relationship will certainly cause irritation. Everything will remain the same if you are afraid to break out of the self-imposed barrier. To leave the zone, you need to understand that there is practically no exit boundary, since it is all just imagination.

Target

Solving any problem begins with understanding why it is needed. A person must make a choice of the direction in which he plans his movement before he begins it. A correctly set goal covers an area of activity that is its weak side.

For example, if a person has problems with communication and contact with new people constrains him, he needs to initiate situations that frighten him by attending various events of social importance or by applying for a position that involves negotiations. In such situations, previously problematic circumstances will acquire the status of familiar and comfortable ones.

Specification

At the stage of specifying the goal, a person must understand what exactly he wants, in what quantities and when.

He needs to determine the time frame in which he plans to see the result and its parameters. The result of the activity is determined by clear criteria. It can be measured numerically, in the form of estimates or facts. An action plan is drawn up taking this into account. The characteristics of the planned final result will allow you to understand how accurately the task was completed.

If the goal is to overcome difficulties in communication, then on the way to the goal you need to focus on your feelings, which at the stage of conquering yourself should be expressed in a feeling of confidence when making new acquaintances.

Alternatively, you can set a plan of meeting a certain number of dates per month. At the initial stage of its implementation, a person will not feel comfortable, because with his actions he will try to go beyond the boundaries of his comfort zone, where it is cozy and does not need to communicate with anyone. However, it will be easier to communicate with each new acquaintance.

Way to success

The specificity of the technique lies in the subconscious switching of a person from his own experiences to work aimed at achieving a goal. The desired skill is acquired automatically. It is worth noting that acquiring certain skills requires effort. Without work, you will not be able to achieve your goal.

Work on yourself

Having drawn up a step-by-step plan on how to get out of your comfort zone, a person must regularly carry out the planned activities. To see the results of working on yourself, it is recommended to record your achievements in writing and analyze them at planned intervals.

On the path of expanding the boundaries of life, a person will face many difficulties, so it will not be possible to achieve quick results. There is no need to strive to quickly move to the next level without thoroughly mastering the previous one.

Habits are formed over 21 days. This time period will be needed to consolidate skills and achieve a sense of confidence at each new stage of development. A sign of the need to develop new territories is a personal understanding that yesterday’s risk zone has become today’s comfort zone. This feeling can be considered a victory over yourself and your weaknesses.

How to get out of your comfort zone? According to a widespread and very popular idea today, a person can create and develop only when he leaves the so-called “comfort zone” as much as possible.

This is a place where you don’t have to make extra efforts to achieve anything - eat, earn money, get moral satisfaction from something...

According to biological research, cells of a living organism receive positive growth dynamics only then, when they are exposed to external factors,most often to irritants.

It is this factor that is fundamental for bodybuilders who, working with heavy weights in training, pump up their muscles and increase their volume.

By drawing analogies with a person’s life, one can be convinced that there are similar moments in it when a person begins to lead a productive life only when he is forced to do so based on the events and characteristics of his life.

If you agree that your life has become a series of easily predictable events that have nothing to do with self-development and moving forward, then we can advise you on some of the most proven ways to get out of your comfort zone. And doing this is necessary for a full life.

For example, the following may be taken into account:

1) The easiest way to leave your comfort zone is change of usual daily routine. If you continue to carry out the same actions according to plan for a long time, then choose a day when you will not follow the schedule.

You will see that, instead of the initial stress, the body will begin to show you in every possible way how much it likes this proposal and you will notice positive changes for the better.

2) New acquaintances. Perhaps you often run into someone in the corridor of a university or dormitory, but never get to know each other?

Taking the first step will take you outside of your comfort zone and will serve you in a positive way. After all, your chances of making a pleasant interlocutor and even over time a new reliable friend will increase.

In any case, you certainly don’t lose anything when you start meeting new people, and that’s already great.

3) Start attending lectures on free topics or just sign up for a sports section where set yourself specific goals.

Reaching them, you will feel excitement, which in the future will push you to finally leave the cozy penates of the notorious comfort zone.

4) Do it often rash acts And make unpopular decisions. If you suddenly have the idea of hitchhiking, then go immediately, without thinking twice about it. Spontaneity often holds the secret to business success!

5) If you have been working in the same place for a long time and are already accustomed to doing your work automatically, then start trying yourself in a new role.

Start helping your colleagues with their part of the project and see how much the overall productivity of your office will increase.

6) In the case of regular exercise, everything is simple. If you are a beginner, just take the first step and then move like a locomotive that has picked up speed.

If you have been training for a long time and have begun to feel the routine of your activities, simply double the load. New challenges mobilize the body's hidden reserves!

7) If you enjoy cooking, learn new recipes and try new homemade dishes. This will at least give you a great opportunity to try something new.

8) Constantly learn something new for yourself, something we had never thought of before. A fact learned every day brings you one step closer to understanding certain things.

9) Every day open the dictionary and look for an unfamiliar word there. Then use it as often as possible in various interpretations throughout the day.

This will not only expand your vocabulary, but will also take you beyond your safety and comfort zone, where progress is inherently impossible.

10) Start renovating your apartment, if nothing has been changed in it for a long time. This is very mobilizing and forces you to squeeze into a framework - both temporary and aesthetic.

11) Physical labor itself has a very significant effect on the body and helps you go beyond your usual standards.

At least if you know how to do something with your hands, then from time to time you have to use this skill, which only benefits you.

So practice something more often, even if at first glance it seems difficult and completely unnecessary.

12) Not so significant, but still, over time, the TV begins to absorb more and more of your attention. Try to get rid of this and see how much more efficient your days become. At the same time, I have more free time, which is already pleasing.

13) Make a stranger happy- this is perhaps the most effective method of making someone next to you happy. At least you won’t share “all the joys and hardships for two”...

14)New habits, which you apply in life, are also one of the methods of going beyond the proverbial comfort zone. It usually takes three weeks for a habit to become ingrained in your mind, so there is something to work on.

15) Do more often what is not typical of your consciousness and habits, and then the creative process will never stop.

Having analyzed the methods of leaving your comfort zone, it will not be a bad idea to remember the person. After all, the question “Why?” always relevant, especially when you perform actions that are not typical for your body.

So why is it important to step outside your comfort zone from time to time? The answer lies in the four stages of our willingness to do what is beyond the usual.

1. In case of lack of experience in any kind of issue, the speed of learning increases in direct proportion. And the aspects and features of this industry are no longer important to you - the main thing is that you need to learn quickly and effectively.

2. If time is short, and there is not enough knowledge to solve the task, everything that interferes is cut off, and we begin to work with our heads more focused.

3. If you don’t have enough strength, you have to use the subconscious and, with its help, reach the appropriate level of realization of a certain thought.

4. At this stage, it doesn’t matter whether you decide to act or not - it’s necessary, it means it’s necessary!

As you can see, leaving your comfort zone from time to time is great. At the very least, get a great adventure in your usual life.

Comfort zone and how to get out of it - this phrase can be heard at every step in modern life. Is it really that important? And why do successful people talk so much about their comfort zone?

The secret of successful people is very simple. The most important thing is constant development. A person cannot stay in one place, he either develops or degrades, there are no other options. The insidiousness of degradation lies in the fact that it is not immediately noticeable. For a long time, a person may think that everything is fine, that perhaps he is simply developing slowly or standing still a little. This state is called the comfort zone. Leaving this zone is always associated with discomfort, effort, and strong-willed decisions.

Why leave your comfort zone and why it is dangerous

A truly fulfilling life is outside your comfort zone.
There is a very instructive parable about a frog. If a frog is thrown into boiling water, it will try its best to get out of it. But if you throw a frog into cold water and gradually heat it up, it won’t even notice how it’s cooked. She will immediately think that a little warmth won’t hurt, then that it’s already kind of hot, but she can still be patient, and then it will be too late. The same can be said about the comfort zone, it draws a person in, and he absolutely does not want to change anything in his life.

How to determine your comfort zone

If nothing new happens in life, everything goes according to a strictly planned, repeating plan every day - this is the comfort zone. One of the determining factors of such a zone is the reaction to new events and unforeseen situations. If the reaction to such circumstances is fear, then this is a sure sign of a comfort zone. Everything is fine if the reaction to an unforeseen situation is interest, excitement, excitement, anxiety.

4 steps to get out of your comfort zone

Before you can learn how to get out of your comfort zone and take action, a person needs to realize that he is in this very zone. Without awareness and acceptance of the problem, it is impossible to solve it.

Step 1 on the path to success - setting a goal

First of all, you need to decide what exactly you want to achieve in life, what result you expect. Don't be afraid to dream and push your psychological boundaries. The goal may concern one of the areas of life or some personal qualities.

Step No. 2 - determining specific deadlines and numbers

The goal must be very specific. You need to come up with a plan to achieve your goal. It is advisable to write down specific tasks for yourself for each day point by point. In this case, all attention and focus will be focused on completing tasks, and not on the comfort zone.

Step #3 – work on yourself

Leaving your comfort zone is never smooth and comfortable; it is always associated with inconveniences, falls and failures. But you need to survive all this and not give up. It is necessary to strictly follow the plan, even if many things do not work out, you need to move forward without despairing about failures.

To make the task easier, you can keep a diary in which you note all your achievements and analyze what worked out of your plan and what didn’t. You shouldn’t get hung up on failures and blame yourself or your character. This won't lead to anything good. Only to waste of time and worsening mood.

A very important point at this stage is consistency. There is no need to try to achieve the desired goal “here and today”; everything should be gradual. Each new habit is developed within three weeks. Therefore, you should not rush; quick results are not always sustainable.

Step No. 4 - consolidating success

After long work and the result obtained, joy comes, a feeling of pride in oneself, and peace. You can relax and unwind a little, but not for long, new heights and achievements await you.

Tips for those who do not want to fall into their comfort zone:

Sometimes get to work by a route unknown to you
Read a book in an unfamiliar genre
Meet a new person and their life
Learn to do something you've never done (draw, play the violin, knit, cook, drive a car)
Go to a place that is unusual for you (theater, exhibition, park, cinema, restaurant, massage)
Change your room (rearrange furniture, change framed photos, buy new curtains or get a new houseplant)
Sometimes you need to take unplanned trips
Trying new dishes
Buy yourself a wardrobe item in a color that is unusual for you
Find reasons to be happy in every day.

A story about the psychological barriers that a comfort zone creates

There lived a bear in a small zoo. He was the favorite of all visitors. Many felt very sorry for the bear, because such a huge predator lives in such a small cage. He could not run around his enclosure, only take four steps in one direction and four steps in the other direction. This went on for a very long time, the bear was already so accustomed to his small house that he even forgot how to run around the spacious territory.

Over time, the zoo underwent renovations. A huge enclosure was prepared for the bear, which had a swimming pool in the form of a small lake, trees and even a special swing for the bear. When the bear was moved to a new home, he did not run, swim or play. He just lay down quietly in the corner of the huge enclosure and from time to time he got up and took four steps in one direction and four steps in the other direction. Since this space was a comfort zone for him, from which he did not want to leave. Even if a person is not satisfied with a certain situation, but he does nothing about it, then gradually he begins to get used to it.

And even the most uncomfortable state can become a comfort zone.

Very often, boundaries stand only in our subconscious. We set ourselves the boundaries of our success and our achievements. With a strong desire, a person can achieve anything, regardless of available resources and abilities. The main thing is not to set psychological limitations for yourself.

The popular trend about leaving your comfort zone can cause a lot of trouble for an unprepared person. Is it worth sharply breaking your stereotypes? How to get out of your comfort zone with minimal losses?

What is a comfort zone?

Comfort zone is a person’s habitual and comfortable state of mind. It is caused by established habits, stereotypes of thinking and behavior. It is a comfortable existence in which a person feels safe, when there is no motivation to act or make an effort.

A comfort zone is a certain stage that a person has achieved with the help of his knowledge and actions. He has no problems with housing or work. He is more or less satisfied with his financial wealth. That is, the basic needs are satisfied:

hunger and thirst;
safety, lack of fear;
confidence, reliability;
sexual satisfaction.

A person is in a familiar environment, performing familiar actions. The comfort zone is followed by a zone of unusual behavior. Changing stereotypes of thinking and action means leaving your comfort zone. Pictures of familiar life are replaced by new scenery.

Only after a person consciously decides to leave his comfort zone does he try to change the stereotype of behavior and thinking. Only then does the question arise: “How to get out of your comfort zone?” A person independently decides to change habits and bears full responsibility for his subsequent actions.

Leaving your comfort zone

There are 2 ways to get out of your comfort zone.

First- suddenly changed conditions, circumstances. There may be economic crises when a person loses everything and starts life from scratch. Prison or the army is also a way out of your comfort zone into an unknown environment. A serious illness, when you have to spend a long time in a hospital bed and change your usual routine. Losing a job or housing forces a person to go in an unusual direction, to look for ways to solve the problem.

Second- a conscious decision to leave the comfort zone. This is the softest path when you have the opportunity to change something in life on your own. The moment a person decides that it is time to step out of their comfort zone, they can take actions that can later lead to personal or career growth. Here one should take into account a person’s energy potential, his age and the goals that he sets for himself.

The Secret Dangers of the Comfort Zone

How to get out of your comfort zone? Why do you need to get out of it? The comfort zone brings a lack of motivation, daily mechanical performance of duties, and routine. Curiosity helps to expand the boundaries of known existence. The law of deferred life forces us to indulge in the illusion that the best is only ahead.

It is necessary to abandon false misconceptions. Start living according to the “here and now” principle. A habitual existence can subsequently lead to the realization that life has passed, and there is nothing more to strive for. Therefore, each person decides for himself whether it is worth leaving his usual state.

Why leave your comfort zone?

A person who constantly experiences unusual stress or finds himself in unusual situations quickly adapts to new living conditions. In order not to find yourself on the sidelines of life, pulled out of your comfort zone by blows of fate or unforeseen crises, you can prepare your psyche and make it flexible.

It is believed that leaving the comfort zone is the only path to development. At the stage of growing up, this path is the only correct one. But later, when a person has already matured as a person, the path of development can be carried out without leaving the comfort zone. So is it necessary to change the usual environment?

The comfort zone makes a person think that everything is under his control. Fixation in a certain state prevents the individual from solving the problems that exist at this stage.

For example, you have and want a two-story house. Staying in your comfort zone will not solve this problem. It is necessary to take unusual actions that will help resolve the issue, and the person will enter a new stage.

Further, other problems await him, which should also be solved, pushing the boundaries of a new comfortable zone. Such movement forward, towards new goals and objectives, can ensure human development. These may not necessarily be material assets. Spiritual development is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Overcoming difficulties in charitable affairs is no less difficult and sometimes requires greater commitment.

To get out of your comfort zone, you should provide yourself with external and internal resources. These are energy, focus, health, availability of time, stable income.

The mental component of leaving your comfort zone

Change brings a way out of your comfort zone. Stress, internal resistance, self-deception are the main techniques that help the body return to its previous, comfortable state.

If we take the natural maturation of a person, then the growth of personality, the acquisition of experience and knowledge go through crises. This is a crisis of 1 year, 3 years, 7 years, a crisis of adolescence. Such milestones of growing up are the brightest and most indicative. But they all lead to expanding your comfort zone. A child's curiosity pushes him to overcome difficulties. Thanks to this, the stage of personality formation begins.

Having become older, having a job, family, housing, a person gets rid of the need to achieve anything. Moreover, in some cases, if it is impossible to get what he intended, he psychologically tries to devalue the thing or interpersonal relationships.

For example, you want to buy a washing machine, but you don’t have the extra money. Then the person, not wanting to leave his comfort zone, tries to devalue it (a lot of water or powder is wasted, it makes noise or takes up a lot of space, only lazy people wash clothes in the machine).

Self-deception, depreciation, fear, laziness return a person to his usual comfortable state. Limitation is growing, inspired by the law of deferred life. But hopes that everything is still ahead and a lot can be achieved most often turn out to be fantasies.

Narrowing your comfort zone

Narrowing your comfort zone indicates a gradual process. This is the case when necessary things become unnecessary. The most striking examples of narrowing the comfort zone are alcoholism and drug addiction. The entire existence of a person comes down to a necessary mental state. The absence of habitual intoxication leads to aggression, unpredictable actions, and suicide.

As your comfort zone narrows, work, home, and family gradually become redundant. Relationships and financial independence are devalued. A person motivates his inaction with a philosophical view of life.

Expanding your comfort zone

Expanding your comfort zone usually comes down to necessary actions that you don’t want to do. The more often a person tries to expand his comfort zone, the more painless and easier this process becomes later.

You should not suddenly change your habits or environment. Under no circumstances should you put your health at risk. Only a gradual, smooth expansion of boundaries will allow the psyche to painlessly adapt to new conditions. How to get out of your comfort zone? Psychology can suggest approximate actions. But to apply them in life or to find your own path of development - a person must decide for himself.

It is necessary to determine the motivation and final result of your actions. Why is it necessary to expand your comfort zone and what should it bring in the future? At the same time, it is important to clearly understand the purposefulness of your actions, to have enough time and internal resources to implement them.

For example, there is a desire to become a director of a bank, but there is no specialization with which to achieve the goal. Therefore, it is important to identify a realistic task and engage with it from a young age. The ability to expand boundaries, move from one stage to a higher level, and the habit of not stopping there will help bring a person tangible success in life.

How to get out of your comfort zone?

Numerous psychological trainings help people get rid of fears and complexes. Getting out of their comfort zone is also overcoming difficulties. There are simple solutions that can help you start moving forward. Before you think about getting out of your comfort zone, it is important to realize that such action is necessary.

Change your daily routine (without compromising sleep, rest, nutrition).
Go on a trip (you can find the nearest route to a neighboring city, walk through parks, museums).
Go in for sports (be sure to take into account your health status; a little morning exercise is enough to start with).
Add variety (unscheduled trip to the zoo or exhibition, take a course, try a new dish, or read a new book).
Set a goal and achieve it (don’t chase global achievements; you can go grocery shopping every day for your sick neighbor).

Mistakes when leaving your comfort zone

If a person has realized the need to change his usual lifestyle, a new question arises. How to get out of your comfort zone and not experience stress? The thing is that a person will definitely feel discomfort when leaving a stereotypical environment. Stress is a natural feeling when leaving your comfort zone. Thanks to it, the body mobilizes and begins preparing for a new stage.

Only by experiencing stress and changing thinking can a person expand his comfort zone. If it remains, the person withdraws into himself. He becomes unable to adequately assess the current situation and clings to the experience of the past. In this case, irreversible mental states are possible.

Therefore, it is worth realistically assessing your capabilities. Cardinal cities, countries, direction of personal growth) is best planned before the age of 35.

Changing habits and lifestyle can undermine a person's health. Internal energy, resources, motivation must be so enormous that leaving your comfort zone will lead to an improvement in life. How to exit with minimal losses in mental state?

Praise yourself for the slightest expansion of boundaries, for small achievements.
Don't forget about goals and motivation.
Act gradually, avoiding sudden jumps in activity.
Make a minimum plan and don’t shy away from it.
Meet more often and communicate with new people whose level is higher than yours.

There is an old and very correct saying: “Fish looks for where it is deeper, but man looks for where it is better.” And this is completely correct and natural. Every person strives to make their life as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. The living space is larger, the car is faster, the bed is softer, the computer is more powerful. It would be complete idiocy to refuse these benefits of civilization.

It would seem, what’s wrong with a calm, comfortable existence? You feel relaxed, there are no risks in your life, you are happy with the way things are going and do not feel any need to change anything. You may not feel incredibly happy, or 100% satisfied, but at least you feel comfortable, right?

Almost always, your comfort zone is the fruit of self-deception. You tell yourself that there is no better alternative to your current situation, that you have spent too much effort building it, that it is already too hard to change anything in life. You stop at one, albeit rather convenient, place and with your own hands nullify all the magnificent prospects of your life. Your comfort zone turns into the end point of your journey. Why is this happening?

You're getting soft

What happens to a person who is immersed in a bath of warm water for a while? He relaxes, goes limp. What if such a stay is extended for quite a long time? That's right, he is deteriorating. His muscles lose tone and very soon he will not only be able to run, but even just stand still.

But this applies not only to the body. The same thing happens with our brain.

The lack of need to solve complex problems leads to dilution in the head and loss of clarity of thinking, ability to learn and make decisions.

You become a vegetable that moves along the same path every day and performs the same tasks every day.

Meanwhile, remember what period of your life was the most fruitful and creative for you? I am sure that these were not the most well-fed and comfortable times. Some will remember sleepless nights as students, others will remember life-threatening journeys and situations, others will remember crisis periods in their lives when they had to start everything over again.

You give up on life goals

Every, okay, almost every person has somewhere deep in the subcortex that very cherished goal of their life. Yes, something from the “see Paris and die” series. The most interesting thing is that very often these goals are not so exorbitant and unattainable. But something always gets in our way.

You may never recognize yourself

There is an opinion, and it is quite justified, that only in difficulties is the true face of a person revealed. You can live your whole life in hothouse conditions and never know what you are really capable of. Can you really be brave and inventive? Are you really able to show patience and perseverance or do you just imagine it?

It's time to get out of your comfort zone and understand, if only for yourself, what kind of person you really are and where the limits of your capabilities lie. I assure you that the result will definitely surprise you.

Sooner or later, the comfort zone for any person turns into a factor that slows down his development and deprives life of the thrill. Remember the most interesting moments of your life. Surely most of them are connected precisely with those moments when you did something unusual, extreme, beyond the usual routine. We stepped out of our comfort zone.

So why not do it again?