Maybe it sounds sappy or cliche, but I think there’s a lot of value in getting out of your comfort zone each day.
Why?
Because it’s in those moments of discomfort where we grow and learn. It’s in the moments where we do something big and bold that makes us feel super uncomfortable that we are able to become a better version of ourselves.
As humans, we tend to crave routines; routines allow us to go through life almost entirely on auto pilot. It makes life a lot more easy, but it also makes it so that we aren’t growing and developing as people.
To be continually growing, we need to be continually pushing ourselves outside of our normal routine by doing things that are new and foreign and uncomfortable to us.
I used to live my life almost entirely in my comfort zone, because I was scared of looking stupid, having people judge me, and taking risks where I might fail. Over the last couple of years, my viewpoints on comfort zones have shifted a lot (obviously), and I’ve spent a lot more time intentionally challenging myself to do things that scare me.
In 2014, I launched a travel podcast with 0 podcasting skills. In 2015, I took a solo trip to Bali to complete my yoga teacher training. That same year, I also moved to Atlanta, where I knew exactly 1 person. In 2016, I started a podcast on the business of yoga, even though I knew virtually nothing on the business of yoga. That same year, I also spent 8 months traveling and working in Asia. This year, Ryan and I are spending 6 months in Mexico, a country where we know no one.
On top of all these big, uncomfortable things I have done in my life, I still strive to step out of my comfort zone each day by trying new foods, meeting new people, and working on new projects. Today, I’m stepping out of comfort zone by officially launching my yoga YouTube channel.