I am sure you have heard the quote “Get comfortable with being outside your comfort zone, that’s the only way to grow.” I believe this wholeheartedly, but I also know it’s not easy. Living in our comfort zone is “safe,” it’s low stress, anxiety and worry right?
This week at work I was asked by my boss’s assistant to do the reflection at the next leadership meeting, I have worked for this company for 3.5 years and escaped this task thus far, though I don’t have a fear of public speaking, this for some reason makes me uncomfortable. I emailed her back and said, “I really don’t want to, but I will, life is about doing things we aren’t comfortable with.”
I am sure I could have said no, and she would have found someone else to do it. But the fact that it made my stomach get a little tight and my heart beat a little bit faster, which made my brain say “you have to do this, step outside your comfort zone and do it.”
It made me think what other things do we avoid because it makes us feel uneasy or pushes us past our comfort level? How many times have you said no to something purely because it scared you a little? I want to challenge you, the next time you are asked to do something or have an opportunity to do something that makes your stomach a little uneasy or your heart beat a little faster, do it. Just jump in and just try your best. We need to stop playing small. Growth should be comfortable, it’s saying “yes” to situations that make us think a little more, stress a little. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.
I would love to hear about situations that you really wanted to say no because it was not in your comfort zone, but you did it anyway, what did you learn from that experience?