It’s Time To Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Now that you have what you need to get back in the game - with a positive attitude and a clear vision of your future and goals - it’s time to get down and dirty plotting your way to success.
Whether you are ready for a major career pivot or just casually searching for what’s out there, it’s important to remember that nothing will change until you do. Being in your comfort zone means you only do things that are familiar to you and that allow you to stay in control. It’s how so many of us avoid feelings of anxiousness and uncertainty. But being in a comfy bubble can actually hold you back from all of that well-deserved growth.
Here are 3 ways to utilize that new mindset, get out of your comfort zone, and craft your new future, one day at a time.
It’s time for some self-reflection.
You can’t step out of your comfort zone without knowing exactly what your boundaries are. Write down a pros and cons list of how you are living your life right now, starting with your daily routine and how each task or occurrence makes you feel. You can also create a goal or aspiration sheet with things you’d like to accomplish or experience in this new year.
Afraid of public speaking? Challenge yourself to speak up more during work meetings.
Want to make a major career pivot but need more education? Challenge yourself to get your master’s in five years.
You may not know this about me but for a long time, I did not know how to use my voice. I used to work for a corporate company doing everything I could to be that model employee they wanted, but never really showed up authentically in my own life. I was working non-stop, missing huge family milestones, and even compromising my health to fit into a very hectic schedule. Leaving ‘on time’ was not a real thing and just went on thinking, “it is what it is.”
I was crumbling inside.
That’s when I knew it was time for a pivot and I was meant for more. I needed to set my own personal boundaries to prepare for the next phase of my career and make a HUGE leap into another role outside of stores. Many people struggle with cutting away from toxic environments because they think that is just how it is, but it doesn't have to be.
If you believe you are worthy of more, you can align more authentically to a job that serves you and also provides you with a life you look forward to waking up to every day.
Do not let anyone silence your voice or shrink you into a mold.
Change up your routine and create new habits.
Take a look at your pros and cons list. What daily occurrences have negative feelings attached to them? Highlight them in green (green means go!) and challenge yourself to work on those first.
If you feel like you’ve been running on autopilot, doing the same thing day in and day out, it’s time to shake it up.
Remote worker? Try working from a coffee shop or your backyard a few times a week for a new perspective.
Haven’t worked out in a while? No need to start deadlifting but heading outside for a quick 20-minute walk each day can do wonders for your mindset and general feel-good energy.
You can also create a schedule, time block, or set reminders to help encourage you to follow through and keep you on track. And once you’re done, remember to reward yourself! For every challenge you accomplish - no matter how small - set up some kind of reward system like a coffee shop run, for example!
If you need some resources on how to create new habits, here are some book and podcast recommendations that I absolutely love:
Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht
Brag Better by Meredith Fineman
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Dear Gabby Podcast with Gabrielle Bernstein
Coached Podcast with Coach Keren Eldad
The Goal Digger Podcast with Jenna Kutcher
Find your sweet spot and be FEARLESS
Getting out of your comfort zone doesn’t always mean diving in head first. You can start small to build up your confidence first. For example, if your goal is to attend a big networking event next year but you feel really anxious about putting yourself out there, why not find a webinar you can attend that allows you to turn your camera off. You can practice getting yourself out there by utilizing things like an online chat to ask questions and get more comfortable first. Plus, you may make some virtual connections just by attending!
Your happy place can also be a shared space with a few trusted friends. Why not start hanging out with people who have the same interests and goals as you do? These can be friends or mentors that have that same growth mindset and are happy to help you learn and embrace challenges together.
No matter what you do, put yourself out there and push your comfort zone. Here are some tips on how to get started:
Find someone that is holding your dream job and ask for a conversation. Find a podcast or an article they have written and comment on something you really love about what they are sharing in your industry or their career story. Be prepared to bring some perspective to the conversation. A networking chat is a two-way street. The path you desire is best paved by someone who has been there!
Join a hobby club. Find your fitness tribe, book club, women's group, knitting club, or social group in your city (OR START YOUR OWN!) Hobbies bring together a community that brings together similar humans with interests in other areas of life. Find your people through the things you love to do even when no one is paying you to do them.
No matter how fast or slow you get out of your comfort zone, remember to have fun with it! Leave your ego at the door and never aim to get things perfect right from the start. There is a joy in rediscovering yourself that you may have not yet realized. Change doesn’t always have to be scary and it doesn’t have to happen overnight.
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