Five Ways to Stretch Outside of your Comfort Zone

Can you remember the last time you stretched outside of your comfort zone? How did you feel? You may remember feeling challenged, excited and a little scared. Pushing yourself to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or stretch beyond your perceived limits isn’t easy. However, the more you live inside your comfort zone, the less likely you are to grow and achieve greater opportunities in life. The more you stretch outside your comfort zone, the more growth you’ll experience.

Here are Five Ways to stretch outside your comfort zone

1. Create better awareness of your current comfort zone. You are unique. Your level of comfort in the different areas of your life will be different than others. The key is to discover where your comfort levels are so that you can spark ideas to challenge yourself and grow. Identify the ideas that challenge, excite and give you a little bit of fear but you believe are worth exploring and acting on.

2. Take small steps. Successful change in life is achieved through a series of small steps done consistently over time. A challenge such as making a career change may be overwhelming or insurmountable if tackled all at once. Instead take small steps that can bring you closer to the career you’ve always wanted. Steps like making a new contact, signing up for a course, improving one skill or getting some coaching are manageable and provide a sense of accomplishment.

3. Try something new every day. A simple way to stretch yourself is to explore new things. Look at the things you do each day and think how you can do them differently. Identify new experiences that are outside of your normal routine. For instance, you can reach out to someone you would like to know better and invite them for coffee or lunch. If you want to discover new places , try driving home a different way from work.

4. Say YES more often. The more you say YES to situations that help you grow and lead you a step closer to your goals, the more opportunities will present themselves. The next time an opportunity presents itself that is outside of your comfort zone, challenge yourself to say YES instead of no. For example, you can volunteer to lead a new project, offer your skills to a worthy cause, go first to try a new tool at work, or join a new association.

5. Embrace a growth mindset. According to psychologist Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, “In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits.” “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” Shifting from a fixed to a growth mindset will open up more opportunities. Stretching yourself starts with the belief that you can. A growth mindset enables you to confront challenges and see them as opportunities to grow and learn.

If stretching outside your comfort zone was easy, we’d do it all the time. Being comfortable with being uncomfortable takes time. Remember the most important thing is to take care of yourself and to acknowledge the growth you’ve made. Celebrate the small wins. Each time you stretch outside your comfort zone, your self-confidence grows. You’ll find that your current comfort zone expands, and you’ll be inspired to take on new challenges. The more often you stretch, the more growth and success you’ll achieve.