“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”
Brian Tracy
“To the degree we’re not living our dreams, our comfort zone has more control of us than we have over ourselves.”
Peter McWilliams
On June 6, I leave my hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii for Sydney, Australia to begin my world tour.
Living outside of the comfort zone, testing limits, and pushing oneself
As I’m preparing for this trip, I find myself especially nervous. I have never done a trip of this magnitude and I feel like I’m gliding outside of my comfort zone.
Though I’ve traveled alone many times before, the longest I had traveled on my own was probably about a month. This time around, I anticipate traveling solo for at least 2-3 months, and quite possibly for a year or longer if I find work in Europe or Asia.
Sure, there are websites like TravBuddy.com to help with finding a travel partner, and I will most certainly meet people along the way, but the prospect of venturing out into unfamiliar territories is both exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. It is too easy to become accustomed to and depend upon the comforts of one’s home.
On top of traveling alone, I intend to try CouchSurfing.org, a site where travelers stay in people’s homes rather than in hotels or hostels. The concept is great, since you get to stay with people who are familiar with the place, but the thought of staying with someone whom I’ve never met, tests my limits and has forced me out of my comfort zone.
When taking a look at your own life, think of a situation where you’ve been been out of your comfort zone.
Maybe your boss at work just promoted you to do his job while he goes on leave. Perhaps your teacher assigned you five books to read by the end of the week, when you’re only used to reading one or two at most. Finally, it could even be that you’re in a position where you’re moving to a new city and have no idea what to expect.
After thinking about a time in your life where you lived outside of your comfort zone, tested your limits, and pushed yourself, excitement is another thing to consider.
The Excitement eases the nervousness of testing your limits
I’m extremely excited as you can probably imagine.
This is a trip I have been wanting to do since 2007. Instead of going on this trip back then, I decided to pursue another dream of mine: living in New York City and working in a major corporation. Fortunately, another opportunity to do this has come up, and I’ve decided to pull the trigger this time.
When you have something to be excited about, you have a propellant to launch you forward despite the uneasy feelings you may have at the time. You could also call this passion or even motivation. Whatever label you choose, stay optimistic, and leverage this excitement to dampen the feelings of nervousness.
Whether you actively chose a particular path or life just sort of dealt you a new set of cards, focusing on this excitement can help ease the uncomfortable feeling of living outside of your comfort zone.
The Upshot – Personal growth following discomfort
All in all, this will certainly be a phenomenal experience. Testing my limits, pushing myself, and getting out of my comfort zone, will ultimately lead to self improvement whether I want it or not.
Looking For My Life, as a blog title, could not be more appropriate right now as I find inspiration in the world. This journey of self-discovery, learning, and transformation, will be nothing short of amazing.
It is those times in your life when you are uncomfortable that will often be the most rewarding and fruitful. Finding meaning in hardships can help you to cope with situations where you must push yourself. Ultimately though, it is the excitement of this new and challenging experience, that will help you make it through these difficult times.
If anything, when you find yourself outside of your comfort zone, testing your limits, and pushing yourself, perhaps it may not always be the best idea to take the path of least resistance, or you might just find yourself missing out on life’s magnificent rewards.
