5 Reasons Why Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone Is Worth It

We’ve all been there. A friend, a family member, or even a teacher who tells us that “you need to get out of your comfort zone”. Obviously, this so called “comfort zone” isn’t a physical space that we occupy. It’s a mental state that grips us and doesn’t let go - UNLESS we want it to.

Sometimes it’s fine to be there for a while but, in order to grow as a person and adapt to changes in society, the comfort zone is not the one. As such, you can definitely see why the people who love and care for us would encourage us to try new things that aren’t within our comfort zone.

Even though we think we are happy sticking to what’s familiar or comforting, eventually life will become repetitive and empty. The key to keeping things interesting and refreshing is to force yourself out of your comfort zone and discover a different side of you that you didn’t know existed.

...Still not convinced? Keep reading!

1. You will become a stronger version of your current self.

Usually the thing that stops us from stepping out of our comfort zone is the fear of the unknown. We convince ourselves that there are scary things standing on the other side waiting for us to mess up. Well, you’re wrong. What’s actually waiting for you is a life beyond your imagination.

You’ll find that, in spite of your fear, it really wasn’t a big deal. Yes, feeling uncomfortable with change is normal. It’s your mind acknowledging that it won’t be an easy challenge. However, when you overcome that challenge, you’ll feel invincible. The fear will no longer hold any power over you. You might even feel liberated and approach other changes in your life with less anxiety.

This will promote growth and make you a stronger person. As you continue to move forward, you’ll reflect on your past self and feel incredibly proud of your progress since. Wouldn’t that be something?

2. Your self-esteem will flourish.

Being stuck in your comfort zone does nothing for your self-esteem. If anything, it may hinder it. You’ll tell yourself that you’re not capable of achieving new things which will negatively affect your opinion of yourself.

However, stepping out of your comfort zone and taking the necessary steps towards accomplishing your goals will impact your self-esteem in a positive way. As explained by psychologist Albert Bandura, who developed Social Leaning Theory, the way people grow is by regularly motivating themselves, taking action and learning from others.

Therefore, the more you push yourself out of your comfort zone and test yourself against others, the more skills you will gain and hone, which will naturally increase confidence. The more positive you are of yourself, the more positive your thoughts, feelings and aspirations will be. Who doesn’t want that?

3. You will meet new people and make new memories and experiences.

Getting out of your comfort zone will allow you to explore and make new experiences. You’ll participate in activities that you haven’t before, which will lead you to meeting new people who may become lifelong friends.

Networking and socializing can then open up opportunities and all sorts of experiences that you may never have thought possible. Your life will become enriched with joy and friendship. Only then will you truly start to live and not just exist.

4. Your creativity will shoot up.

When we expose ourselves to new things, we’re very much likely to discover a talent we didn’t know was there. Facing new challenges pushes us to think inwards and come up with solutions.

This will make you perform better and create momentum in your everyday life. Being creative and not reactive is the place we all want to be in but to get there you must step out of your comfort zone.

5. Your impact on others.

Hanging around people we admire and who encourage us to step out of our comfort zone for the betterment of our individual growth is always a good feeling. We know these people have our best interests at heart and all they want is to help us be the best versions of ourselves.

When you step out of your comfort zone, you’ll become that for someone else. You’ll attract people in your life who are doing the same thing as you, but you’ll also inspire others to follow suit. You’ll create a team of people who are achieving and aspiring to greater things in life, personally and professionally.

Having a positive impact on others is something one should never take for granted because these are the moments that live forever.

Becoming comfortable with discomfort is a rare state to achieve but once you do, change and growth within oneself start to manifest. You are capable of so much more but to realize that, you absolutely have to step out of your comfort zone. Just remember: a better life awaits you on the other side.