a note on going out of your comfort zone

Lately I’ve realised how much I’ve retreated into the safe and predictable pleasures of life. And although these things bring endless comfort - reading in my favourite places, embracing time alone, watching comfort shows and listening to my favourite songs over and over again - I realised I needed to readdress the balance between the old (and familiar) and the new (and promising).

Because there’s a whole world out there - of adventure, fun, and new things I might like to try and experience. New places, people, and things. And I only have so long to sample as much as I can from this wild and beautiful world.

It’s so easy to bundle yourself in the familiar, in the things you know make you feel happy and at ease. Putting yourself out there can be daunting, and a little scary, but taking a leap of faith- from meeting new people to trying a new skill or book genre or hobby or study spot - makes life even more enriching, and helps you grow as a person. It helps widen your sphere and awareness and faith in yourself. You might not enjoy it every time - but it’s part of the ride. One day you’ll look back and be glad you tried - this is how I’m trying to look at it.

I recently made a list of things I’d like to look back on when I’m 80 years old. It helped me put things in perspective, as I realised that this life I’m making right now is the time to taste the delights of life’s rich tapestry, to have fun, make mistakes, go on spontaneous adventures - while saving a little time for the things that help me feel grounded and at peace.

And now I’m beginning a new chapter of embracing the unknown. I’ve started with something easy - listening to albums by artists I think I might like, as I could be missing out on songs that make me feel and that I can’t believe passed me by all this time. By opening myself to new experiences - taking a leap of faith, I’m slowly changing the tide of this one wild and precious life.

Rediscovering the extroverted side of myself, the person who loves getting to know new people and be loud in an environment that I feel comfortable in. The introverted side of myself has certainly taken over, I’ve become much more introspective and self-aware over the last few years, which I’m certainly grateful for as I’ve learned more about myself and the things I can work on, but I’d classify myself as an ‘ambivert’; I can easily compartmentalise myself into two personas, and I do miss the extroverted side. It comes more naturally to some more than others, but this is one way I identify going out of my comfort zone - embracing parts of myself that have been tucked away a little, and have the potential to shine through.

I write this listening to The Sundays’ back catalogue, which I’ve discovered I love - and I’m all the more better for it. Applying this mentality to other hobbies and interests, socialisation, opportunities to put myself out there and try something new, is the way to begin growing that comfort zone - and adding more colour and contours and memories to life as I know it.

By extending the comfort zone, we grow, we reach goals we’ve set, we’re able to set new ones and we are closer to living our dreams. It takes guts and an open mind to grow our confidence and bring change and newness into the life we’ve created - but there are SO many opportunities out there to grasp. Confidence grows through learning- and sometimes a little fear of the unknown. And you’ll be proud of yourself for having faith in your ambitions and ideas.

So in the spirit of new beginnings, I’m going into the new year more open to the unknown- and ready to keep trying new things - because this can happen any time of year, anytime the will beckons it. And I invite you to do the same - and continue your journey of self discovery by growing your comfort zone and finding out new parts of yourself that were just waiting to flower and burst into life.