Comfort Zone - Expand Your Limits, Expand Your Life

Comfort zone. We all know the term. Do we know what it means to us? Do we know how it affects what we do?

So what is this all about?

It is simply the area or environment within which we are comfortable. It is our 'space'. It is where we feel comfortable to live and act. We don't feel at risk. We don't feel threatened.

What is it to be comfortable?

Comfortable is a nice word. We enjoy comfort. We enjoy the feeling of comfort. What does it convey? What does a comfortable zone mean to us?

• what is acceptable to us
• what we find adequate - and more
• what we feel at home with
• where can feel contented
• somewhere which is pleasant and inviting
• somewhere habitable and relaxing
• where we feel snug, cozy and warm
• where we can feel . . .

What does our comfort zone do for our lives?

Having our own space, our own zone, or our own area - within which we can feel safe and comfortable - gives us a lot. Knowledge, or greater knowledge, of this can give us another little 'advantage' in our everyday lives. Another little thing to hone and to utilize.

Your zone can do the following for you

• it can alleviate many a situation
• it can assist and support
• it can soothe our passage through life
• it can cheer us when life is threatening
• it can encourage us when we need relieve or reassurance
• it can bring solace to our life
• it can soothe and succor
• it can strengthen us and our resolve
• it can gladden our heart

It can be our comforter

In the zone . . .

In the zone is commonly used to signify that we are in the 'flow', when we are immersed in something. And more - we recognize that we are energized and focused, involved in our venture and giving it our all. And it is going well and we are going well with it.

Equally, we could use the term for when we are in our comfortable zone. We are living where we feel most comfortable. We are working and living well. We are performing well. Things are going well.

We are comfortable with ourselves and the things we are doing. We see life in a positive and uplifting way. This gives us encouragement and the confidence to proceed with life in the way we would like.

Our personal space . . . ?

So our comfort zone is our personal space? In many ways personal space and comfort-zone are similar, yet they are quite distinctive. We refer to our domain or our territory as our personal space. Its invasion leaves us feeling uncomfortable (an invasion of our personal privacy). That personal area around us that we feel is ours and no one else is invited - until we let them have access.

However, our comfort-zone is more about the 'environment' in which we feel comfortable living or acting. Things that we feel comfortable doing are within our comfort zone. Things that intimidate or threaten us may be outside our comfort zone. Comfort zone is part of our mental conditioning?

Our conditioning

When we try something new our comfort zone may seem quite small. We are uncertain how we may tackle this new thing. When we are doing something we are very used to doing we just do it. The thought of comfort does not enter into our 'assessment' criteria - of how we are doing, what we doing and what other people are thinking about what we are up to. It is just there and we get on with our life.

When outside our zone . . .

When we find ourselves outside our comfort zone we

• can be anxious
• can feel uncomfortable
• we may feel uncertain
• we may feel uneasy
• we may need reassurance that all is well
• we may need support to carry on with our activities
• we may need assistance to achieve our goal

We may need encouragement that all is well. That we are indeed doing fine.

Will we protect it - our comfort zone?

What happens when it is threatened? Or rather when we feel threatened by skirting near the limit of our comfort zone or sneak a look beyond what is normally comfortable for us. What happens?

We can start to experience some of the 'symptoms' outlined in the above list. We may start to question our ability. We may well be fine at a very similar, but more comfortable activity, but this new one is stretching us (we feel) a little too far.

So we get tested a little. But we can pull through. And we will more often than not. We will manage this task that stretches us a little beyond what we would normally wish to do. And we succeed. And how does that make us feel?

Elated.

Expanding our comfort zone . . .

Can we expand our comfort-zone? Of course we can. It probably happens much more often than we give ourselves credit for. And - why should that not be? Have we bitten off more than we can chew? Are we more capable than we thought? Have we succeeded where we did not manage something before?

In any of these situations we can succeed. We can go beyond what our head tells us is comfortable - and survive! But more than survive, we can accomplish and achieve things. We can operate in these new environments; ones we thought were beyond our grasp. We can live there.

And this inspires us to try other things. And to succeed, too.

Motivated to act . . .

It is amazing, logical and natural - all at the same time. Succeed at something brings feelings of elation and accomplishment to the fore. And these feelings help to motivate us to 'expand' a little more. To try something a little more challenging. To realize that we will not be eaten up if we don't at first succeed. But that we can achieve if we stick at something and learn the ropes.

We can flower and blossom. And in ways we never thought possible. And the future can be brighter for us than we predicted. We can push ourselves and achieve more. And have a satisfying and enjoyable life.

You can be a success

One definition, you might say, of a successful person is that they are willing to try new, interesting and challenging things. They can push their boat out that little bit further. They have succeeded before and know they can succeed again. They can go beyond their comfort zone.

And you know one thing? We can do the same. We can copy their example. One step at a time we can try and succeed. We can.

You can be a success for you. Don't worry about what anyone else is doing. Close to home or far away, don't worry what they are doing. Don't worry about what you are doing, but do put some effort into things. Do try and a little harder. Do try new and wonderful things. And you will find that you can succeed, too. You can achieve more. You can accomplish more.

You can be a success in your life, on your terms, in your way.

You are not your comfort zone

Does it affect who we are? Does our comfort zone make us the person we are - no. Rather we make our comfort zone. And if we make something we can change it, too. We can expand it. We can make it as big as we like. We can let it serve us.

Let our zone serve us by alerting us of challenges and potential difficulties. Not as a means of stopping us, but highlighting where our effort and resources should be focused.

Let your comfort zone alert you to potential challenges. Then rise to those challenges and create the life that you want. Create the sort of life you have always envisioned. Then work on making it so.

Go to it.