Why We Love the Comfort Zone

Last week, I read this blog post on the Think Tank blog:

It’s titled Get Out of Your comfort Zone, by Jennifer Bennett:

(click on the image)

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Jennifer shares a few tips on how to get out of that comfort zone. It made me think why we want to get out of the comfort zone. I mean, we had to work off our behinds to get to that comfort zone, one way or another. It comes easier for some of us than others. It stands to reason we should enjoy our comfort zone once we’re there and, you know, actually enjoy that comfort.

But what happens when you’re too comfortable? You don’t want to move, you just want to stay in your little spot and let nothing upset you. But without movement there’s no growth. It’s scary to get out of your little spot. The thing is, unless you do, you won’t discover all the other much greater spots waiting for you. Most the times, it takes hard work, maybe even lots of frustration and tears, but when you look back it will be worth it. It’s like the illustration—you’ll realize that your comfort zone was actually small and cramped, and you’ll ask yourself why you couldn’t even see it how uncomfortable you really were.

For me, getting out of the comfort zone means not getting away with the easiest solution. And not looking around to what others are doing, thinking it will work for me too. I can learn from other people’s mistakes and successes, and I have very generous friends who share their stories with me, for which I’m very grateful. But in the end, I have to find my own way, at my own pace, however uncomfortable it is.

One thing I’m working right now is patience. I’m a very impatient person. I like to make good decisions, as long as they don’t involve any waiting. It’s hard to wait for the reply of the publisher regarding The Secret Life of Daydreams, whatever the reply may be. And it’s hard to wait for the research and backstory to conciliate for my new manuscript, Simon and Isabel’s story.

In the meantime, I remind myself I don’t have to stay in my comfort zone and wait for things to happen—there are things I can make happen myself.

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