We need to break out of our comfort zones to grow. Being comfortable in being uncomfortable isn’t a cliche. It is a way to motivate ourselves.
Breaking Patterns
We fall into patterns easily. Even our morning rituals are unconscious behaviors. We don’t think about waking up, eating breakfast, showering, or brushing our teeth. We do them automatically. Our morning habits are examples of what we do automatically without considering how or why we do them. These are rituals that, regardless of how repetitive they are, we will continue performing these actions every day. However, there are habits we can change.
We can create diversity in our lives if we are willing to take the first step. Let’s think about an activity we want to try. For example, learning how to surf. Most of us need to practice before we become adept. So, we find someone to teach us how to surf.
When we decided to learn how to surf, we broke the pattern of thinking about doing something because we did what we needed to know. As a result, we moved out of our comfort zone.
Living in What-If
Those who wait for the perfect time will never find the ideal time. Allowing ourselves to procrastinate means we are comfortable in the “What If.” We’ll never know the answer if we don’t try.
Now, what if we decided to see what happens when we pursue our “what if.” Soon, we will find we can, and we will find pride in accomplishing our goal. But what if we can do more? Are we willing to push ourselves farther?
Falling into the Uncomfortable
We can acknowledge we aren’t comfortable with being uncomfortable. We can admit we are afraid to see what happens when we push ourselves into our “what if” zone. That zone makes us ask what we are capable of while also challenging us to find out how far we are willing to go to achieve a goal.
Are we willing to fail? Let’s hope we are. Failure means we are learning. When we fail, we know how not to do something. Thomas Edison didn’t give up when the first lightbulbs failed. He realized what not to do each time until he created the first lightbulb that worked. Each failure is the first time attempting to reach our goal. We fail once and then try again until we succeed. Ultimately, we embrace failure.
How to Maintain Being Uncomfortable
Anytime we go outside of our comfort zone, we ask ourselves to do more and see what we can accomplish. Going to a mental health or addiction treatment center is another example of moving out of our comfort zone. What happens, though, once we complete treatment?
Find those who will challenge us to stay out of our comfort zone. Through aftercare groups, 12-step or non-12-step based groups, we can find those who want us to push our limits. They believe we are worthy of asking more of ourselves.
Each time we move from being comfortable to being uncomfortable, we strive for change. We ask ourselves, “what if?” every time we discover what happens when we become uncomfortable, we acknowledge our strength. Being uncomfortable means surrounding ourselves with people like those found in Avalon Malibu’s group sessions. Our network will support us to confront what we are uncomfortable with and guide us towards finding joy. Our goal should follow the philosophy of Avalon Malibu; develop a framework for healing and self-discovery. To learn how to reach your “what if,” call (844) 857-5992.
