How to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?

Note: This article is by Celestine Chua, in which she shares her experience and offers advice on stepping out of one's comfort zone.

In order for a person to have a constant desire to push the boundaries of their comfort zone, to constantly stand up to the discomfort and confusion, to have the resistance that it takes, and to be OK despite it all, there must be a strong reason, like enthusiasm or motivation, that urges them to move forward despite reluctance. This could be a passion you pursue or a vision you aspire to achieve.

Knowing this reason is actually more important than learning tips and strategies for expanding your comfort zone, because when your motivation is a vision and a force greater than any other, you will automatically do whatever it takes to achieve that vision, including greatly expanding your comfort zone.

For example, I have always been driven by a passion to help others grow, which led me to quit my well-paying job in 2008 at the beginning of the financial crisis, build my own business from scratch, put forward ideas for others to collaborate in this field without embarrassment, make public appearances in the media, give public speeches as a natural introvert, communicate with strangers, and present my life with all its ups and downs transparently in my blog.

when you do things you hate, oppose, or fear in order to achieve your dream, you will easily step out of your comfort zone

They are all activities that I would not normally do and that were so far outside my comfort zone until I did them and made them part of my comfort zone. Not long ago, I didn't have much interest in entrepreneurship, public speaking, attracting media, socializing, etc.

However, I did and still do these activities today, and I will continue to do so on a larger scale. This is because they are essential to achieving my broader vision, which is to unite the world. I want to reach the seven billion people in the world so that everyone has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential in life, and I will never give up until I get there.

If that means having to do the most painful and inconvenient thing or expanding my comfort zone to the limit, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I will overcome all obstacles that prevent me from realizing my vision.

By asking you the question, what is your passion or goal? What is the vision you want to achieve? What is the ultimate goal that you want to reach?

If you can identify what you are after, the vision you want to achieve, and the ultimate goal you aspire to reach, then you can use that to support you in your development.

When you take inspiration from the things you want or like, things will be good, of course, but when you do things you hate, oppose, or fear in order to achieve your dream, you will easily step out of your comfort zone and make your dream a reality. This is a higher and more sustainable approach than blindly rushing into facing your fears.

Effective strategies to step out of your comfort zone

As for some specific tips and strategies for getting yourself out of your comfort zone, I'm going to share some with you:

1. Step into Your Fear, Not in the Opposite Direction

This means that if you are afraid of something, feel that fear, and do what you want with all the courage it takes anyway.

Your fear dictates things that are outside your comfort zone, and when you take a step towards that feeling of fear, you literally expand your comfort zone.

2. Do Things Out of the Ordinary

Every little detail you do that deviates from your usual routine is a step outside your comfort zone.

Try a different way to go to work, order a different dish from your favorite restaurant, talk to that co-worker you don't usually talk to, or send an email to that person you've always wanted to get to know.

3. Give Love to This Feeling

The essence of the process of getting out of the comfort zone is to accept the feeling of discomfort and, better yet, learn to love it.

Whenever I feel uncomfortable, I know that it is a good thing because it means that I'm in the process of growing, and I'm not resisting that feeling but embracing it instead.

4. Try New Things Constantly

Make sure you try something new every week. It could be something as simple as reading a new book, trying rock climbing, or something like that.

I'm open to trying different things, as long as they are on my personal schedule, and as a personal principle, I give them one chance to try them out before I cross them off the list.