Exploring the Comfort Zone Limits

A comfort zone. When I think of the term I think of a place that is comfy and cozy to be. Where I don’t have to consider my comfort, my safety, even what I need to do next. When I’m in my comfort zone it’s a place to just be.

Sounds pretty ideal doesn’t it? LIke a place everyone would want to be. A paradise of sorts.

Sometime ago, I came upon the quote I put on my image for this post. The quote was attributed to our friend Anonymous. You know, the author without a name who keeps showing up. I did a search to see if by chance the author was known.

Turns out the quote comes from a poem. Yes, a poem by Anonymous.

I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn’t fail.
The same four walls and busywork were more like jail.
I longed so much to do the things I’d never done before,
But stayed inside my comfort zone and pace the same old floor.
I said it didn’t matter that I wasn’t doing much.
I said I didn’t care for things like commission checks and such.
I claimed to be so busy with the things inside the zone,
But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.
I couldn’t let my life go by just watching others win.
I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.
I took a step and with new strength I’d never felt before,
I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.
If you’re in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.
A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true.
Reach for your future with a smile; success is there for you!

I’m not a big fan of poetry but even I got the message from this one. How often have you found yourself unhappy, unsettled, restless but not willing to move your life in another direction? To explore uncomfortable ideas and beliefs in an effort to change them?

Come on now, you know you have been. Maybe even right now.

Sometimes it be something as seemingly unimportant as hearing a discussion that unsettles you in some way. You might not even know why but you know the feeling is there.

The comfort zone approach? Yeah, hunker down where you are and don’t let that subject come up again. Put a buffer around it.

The harder way? Dig into what is unsettling and why. I usually know why at some level. The only real question is, will I pick at the comfort zone and expose the why. That’s not an easy step, once the why is exposed, there is usually a wound that needs cleaning and healing.

You’d think that would be a good thing eh. Yeah, if not for the awareness that the first bit of unsettling being dug at may lead to even more unsettled beyond that one.

So, what you think?

Would you shore up the comfort zone? Make it even more comfy and able to keep the unsettling ideas away.

Would you crack it open at least a bit and explore to see what happens?

Nothing to stop you from exploring for a bit, maybe expanding your current comfort zone by taking the small bit of unsettling inside and wrestling with it before looking at the next bit.

When the zone expands it’s not to cage you inside as much as to push back on what is outside the zone.

The last idea sounds interesting. Challenging, but interesting. What do you think?

Shadowspub is a writer from Ontario, Canada. She writes on a variety of subjects as she pursues her passion for learning. She also writes on other platforms and enjoys creating books you use like journals, notebooks, coloring books etc.

NOTE: unless otherwise stated, all images are the author’s

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