In my posts calendar, today I was suppose to write about the positives of leaving the comfort zone and some tips how to do it. But this ‘post’ plan was created a couple of months ago, and definitely without the expectation that the whole world will be facing the horrible event that is happening now in Ukraine. We are all currently facing an uncertainty and even anxiety about the future. We are experiencing unprecedented times and to be honest, overused phrases like “get out of your comfort zone” or “we all need to strive for ‘out’ “ may sound a bit out of context with the situation we face and how most of us feel.
So, I will save the original topic for a calmer and more stable time (and I truly hope it will be soon). Instead, I will share some insights about the positives of being in our comfort zone. After all, comfort zone is neither good or bad. A problem can arise when we start feeling stuck there. But in other situations, it’s a natural state where we all need to stay from time to time, whenever we feel anxious or stressed. So whether to stay or leave the CZ depends very much on our personal circumstances or the situation.
Some positives (of staying in a comfort familiar zone) may be:
- It’s a safe place: In my opinion, we are all currently out of our usual comfort zone – due to the outside circumstances. Especially in these situations, our familiar zone can provide us with the sense of safety we may strive for now
- A space to Rejuvenate: You can reinvigorate and psychologically recuperate before returning to more anxiety-inducing and uncertain situations.
- Minimizing risk: In your familiar zone, you’re aware of the potential risks and know how to avoid them. Familiar activities tend to be less risky than unknown ones.
- Highly predictable : if outside circumstances feel so uncertain, a well known place can offer a sense of more stability. We have greater control over the outcomes, curate our experiences and simply choose to do more of the tried-and-known delight-causing activities.
- Expending less energy for routine tasks: If an activity is in your comfort zone, chances are you can complete it quickly and easily without too much forethought or planning. The ease of routine tasks frees up more time and mental energy for addressing challenging work.
- Maintaining routines: The comfort zone is built on routines, which are there for a reason — to reduce stress, to free up mental capacity, so that we can tackle more important issues.
Don’t take me wrong… i am not suggesting don’t do anything if you are in a situation which is bothering you and you feel like you need to change something. If you have the energy and willpower, then go for it!
I just wanted to take away the negative sense we may have about the comfort zone, as we have been bombarded by ‘get out’ articles for a lot of the time. If you feel like this is not right time to make big steps, then there is nothing wrong on taking a breath and staying in safe.
And if you want to avoid being ’stuck’, then maybe there could be a compromise… instead of making big changes, you can start with little steps. Collecting info or making small changes and observing the outcome could be a great way to start!
With love, Vero
