5 Reasons to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone (p.s. Number 5 is the best ;-))

As many of you know I have two sons. One is happy to try his hand at anything, is resilient if things go wrong and can easily laugh at himself. He's done many a fun thing and moves easily in and out of his comfort zone. My younger one, on the other hand, is a perfectionist, is generally less confident and happy to excel in things he is good at but not keen to branch out. Over the last few years we have encouraged Young Son to try a few new things, and this year, his last year at school and his last chance to enjoy such freedom - he has. I'm immensely proud of what he's doing (Peer support, dancing in Stage Challenge...etc). But it got me to realising how easy it is for me to luxuriate in my own comfort zone and keep on plodding down the same road- I know what I'm doing, I'm okay at it, if it ain't broke, don't fix it right?

But thinking I should practice what I preach I looked at my working practice and decided I'd try something different too. After all, stepping out of your comfort zone is good for you- isn't it?

Oh yes!

1) Healthy Stress is good for us; it is a great motivator and can push us to achieve things we didn't know we were capable of, forces us to think in new ways. It gives us challenges that question the way we normally do things and look to alternatives, it helps us grow

2) Helps to reframe who you are; If you start to take a few risks in life you begin to see yourself in a different light, as someone who is open to new ideas and things. You are more likely to put your hand up for something, to volunteer, to become more active (as opposed to passive) in your life. You get to meet new people, make new friends.

3) Find your 'inner child' - I know it sounds gobbledegook, but basically, it means we start to see fun in things again, to learn how to play with a childlike curiosity, an increased sense of fun. (Believe me, when I abseiled for the first time, I thought it was the best thing ever! I was so pumped, so excited about what I'd achieved I was like a kid in a lolly shop!)

4) You stop fearing failure and embrace opportunity- Say yes to some new things! Give them a go. If they don't work, don't worry. (Start small and get used to the way it feels, first). Remember, the quicker you fail the quicker you learn and grow.

5) You may get a picture like this to call your own!

So, I decided to challenge myself and write something different. Yes, I was scared, yes I needed to do a whole lot of growing and yes I was deeply concerned about what others would think of my attempts. But now I have a novella (1st one)...I have an alpha male (1st one)...I have a new publisher (tick)...I didn't know if I could achieve any of those 3 goals but I put myself out there and lucked out. I hope it's okay, but if it isn't- well, at least I gave it a go!


What have you done recently that made you step out of your comfort zone?