3 Ways to Break Out of Your Comfort Zone and Feel More Fulfilled
August 26, 2021We’re always evolving. You’re not the same as you were yesterday. You think differently, have gone through new situations, and you’ve grown.
But you have to choose to learn and grow from these new experiences. If you don’t challenge yourself, you stay stagnant inside your comfort zone.
So, I choose growth.
While it’s freeing, it’s brought me through a period of intense discomfort. The work I do with my coaches isn’t daisies and rainbows… we’re tackling real shit. But I wouldn't be as fulfilled as I am right now if I didn’t get uncomfortable.
If you’re ready to choose growth too, here are 3 ways to help you break out of your comfort zone.
1. Conduct quarterly check-ins
I love to look at my goals and challenge myself. The idea isn’t to make anything “perfect” or put too much pressure on yourself. You’re not looking for gold stars, you’re looking for areas where you can grow.
And since failure is just a learning lesson, make sure you put yourself in positions that stretch your limits. It’s good for you!
2. Do things you might fail at
How often do you avoid taking on a new project because it’s just a tiny bit outside your wheelhouse? When was the last time you said “no” to something because you were worried about the end result?
It happens to the best of us.
But when you bypass new situations and pretend you’re happy staying small, you’re shoving things under the rug. Soon enough, the mountain will be too large to ignore and everything you’ve been hiding will come tumbling out.
Instead of avoiding things that make you scared, how can you actively choose to face your fears head-on?
Think about it this way:
You don’t gain muscle by walking up the stairs once a day. You have to put your body through something (like a workout or class) that you haven’t done before to get results you haven’t seen yet.
You won’t launch the course you’ve been sitting on if you don’t get feedback from people, even if it’s not what you want to hear. Their comments will propel you to make even better offerings in the future.
You won’t heal your wounded inner child by pushing down all your feelings. Old patterns or habits will keep popping up unexpectedly until you dare to face yourself.
I believe it’s healthy to put yourself in situations that make you uncomfortable because it helps you grow. Scared to do it alone? You can always ask for help.
3. Ask for support
Talking it out with a coach, therapist, or creative psychologist can provide that constructive criticism you need to help you see things from a different perspective.
These people see you more objectively than you see yourself. When you ask for support, they push you to tackle things on your to-do list you’ve avoided or challenge yourself in a way that pushes you outside of your comfort zone.
Let’s go back to the example where you turn down a new client because they want something done that you’ve never tried before. If you keep doing the same thing – the same types of projects for the same clients – how are you going to grow?
You won’t. You’ll get bored, lack true creativity, feel purposeless, and eventually burn out.
This is why I encourage you to lean in and try new things. It’s magical, exciting, and opens new doors.
If you’re a recovering perfectionist (like me!), you may struggle with this. It’s easier said than done to go into a new experience without expectations. That’s why I hired people to help me.
The truth is, I wouldn’t be here as the coach, mentor, and human I am if I didn’t.
When you learn to reframe failure, it leaves you feeling so much more fulfilled, excited to try new things, reach new heights in business, and experience all the learning lessons that life has to offer.
How can you challenge yourself to grow a little? I know 4 things you can try if you choose to step out of your comfort zone this week:For your next project, nix all expectations. Go with the flow and see what happens.
Try something new that you've been wanting to do forever — a hobby, a drawing technique, a new recipe, etc.
Raise your prices by 10% on the next proposal you send out.
Schedule some cry time (shoutout to my coach, Cait Byrnes, for this suggestion!). Sit with your feelings or do a visualization meditation with your inner child. Then take yourself out for ice cream.
Not ready to do this on your own? Book a 15-minute coffee chat with me! We can talk about what kind of support you need to push through your fear and feel more fulfilled in life and business.
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