We tend to plan and schedule our entire lives around the idea of comfort. We seek out (or wish for) comfortable careers that allow us the means to afford warm homes, good meals, nice clothes, and a few luxuries along the way. We surround ourselves with friends and family that we enjoy spending our time with. And we try to avoid any unnecessary stress or hardship along the way. This is part of our nature as humans. Our ancestors needed to seek shelter, food, and comfort in order to survive the harsh conditions of the world. But always living in comfort can actually hold you back in some profound ways.
Our comfort zone is where things are easy, have dependable outcomes, are relatively risk-free, and do not take too much time or energy. We are often averse to change because we spend so much time accumulating things that bring comfort, and we fear losing them. It’s true that we are meant to enjoy all of the beauty and joy that life has to offer. But moving beyond your comfort zone has incredible, life-changing benefits.
Here are 3 reasons to step out of your comfort zone:
1. You receive more fulfillment when you go outside your comfort zone. Lots of things bring us momentary happiness. You can stumble upon something great that brings you joy, but unless you worked hard for it by pushing beyond your boundaries, it will not last. Many people who win the lottery end up both losing all their money and being miserable.
The key to lasting fulfillment is stepping out of your comfort zone. If you stay in the same place in life, no matter how comfortable it is, it will eventually become uncomfortable. We are made to change, to move, to grow, to be curious. It is impossible for a person, no matter what age, to be fulfilled unless they are consistently pushing themselves to grow.
This thinking goes against human nature. We all want to feel security, safety, belonging, and believe that we can gain those things in our comfort zone. We stay in that place because we fear the unknown and the uncertain. But true certainty on a spiritual level means knowing that, no matter what things look like, there is always something better waiting for us. It just takes a little work and getting a little uncomfortable to get there.
2. You become a better person outside your comfort zone. The wisdom of Kabbalah teaches that we are in this world to grow and to become better people. We are meant to try, be curious, and feed our curiosity without fear. Becoming better people requires us to push beyond where we currently are. If you are standing still, you aren’t improving. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.
When you are fighting against your comfort zone, you will feel the growing pains. But what was uncomfortable for you yesterday gets more and more comfortable over time. Comfort is the enemy of growth.
Be curious about yourself. Begin with saying, “I do not know who I am yet.” There is so much more of you to discover than what you already know. It is possible, and it is your destiny. You have no idea how far and deep and wide you can grow.
3. Your unlimited potential is waiting outside your comfort zone. The single differentiator between people that accomplish what they are meant to and those who fail to accomplish it is how much they leave their comfort zone. Each one of us is meant to create a new path using our unique abilities, not to walk in anyone else’s. A life lived in the comfort zone is simply not producing a new path.
This doesn’t just mean taking on a lot of work or working towards a lot of different goals. There’s a difference between taking on a lot of projects and pushing ourselves in new directions. Your real potential lies beyond the limitations of your comfort zone. In order to reveal your unique potential in the world, ask yourself, “What did I choose to do today that wasn’t comfortable for me?” Only by pushing past your boundaries will you accomplish your life’s work.
This does not take away from the incredible things you’ve already accomplished, but there is always more that you can manifest. The potential of what you can do far outpaces what you’ve done so far.
Living in the comfort zone is a dangerous place to stay because it holds us back from true fulfillment, growth, and accomplishment. Challenge yourself to get uncomfortable, try new things, learn, fail, and get back up again. No matter how wonderful or comfortable your life is right now, know that it can be even better and more fulfilling. There’s a whole other life waiting for you just outside your comfort zone.
