For example, have you ever known a person that hates their job? They complain about their boss, don’t truly enjoy what they are doing, and want more out of it. They come home exhausted and unfulfilled each day. Sure, they have some great coworkers that make it tolerable, but they know they could be doing more.. making more? How many of those people do you know? I know a lot! But how many of them are actively looking for a new career or are pursing an education that will lay a path to get out of that job? NOT MANY! Why?!?! BECAUSE THEY ARE COMFORTABLE. You can be miserable but as long as you’re comfortable, why change? This is the mind frame, subconscious or not, that a LOT of people have!
Now, comfortable can be a good thing in terms of feeling secure in your life. However, when you are SETTLING in your comfort zone, it’s time to get out. Truly great things happen only when you’re willing to step outside of that little place. Can you think of a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone and something AMAZING happened? When I think of those times, nothing but amazing has happened for me.
One of the best examples is the cross-country move that my husband and I made in 2011. We had an amazing opportunity to move from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, our home, to Omaha, Nebraska. Here was the catch: from the time we found out it was a “go” until he started his new position we had about 3 weeks. We were engaged at the time and planning a classy ballroom wedding with a guest list close to 200 people. We wanted to make the move for his career and I had found an amazing nursing school there that I wanted to attend. So, the two of us decided together that if he was going, I was going. We chose to leave everything and everyone we knew and loved to move to a land of unknowns. Nebraska was a bit like a foreign country, even though Omaha is a fairly “big” city. The culture, the people, and the area were all uncomfortable for us. However, we took a leap of faith. Before we left, we got married in my in-laws backyard on their pool deck. It was darling. We had our close friends and family that could make it in 2 weeks notice, a local Italian restaurant catered it, and I bought the first dress I tried on. NONE of that was in my comfort zone! But looking back, it was the best decision we had ever made. Our marriage is strong because we have had to do everything on our own. His career is booming because he had to prove he deserved that position. He has since been promoted again and we have also moved again. Now we live in southern Wisconsin and he is trending to end the year as ranked in the top 10 for his position in the company. I have learned to be myself regardless of where we live and have become a Beachbody coach, which by definition requires me to LIVE outside my comfort zone.
In fact, my entire weight loss journey has been one huge JUMP outside of my comfort zone. I hadn’t worked out intensively in years. I hadn’t eaten healthy. I dressed in oversized clothes that covered my stomach. I hated getting dressed and going out. I never wanted to talk about it. But then I took that small step of ordering Shakeology and Insanity. It got easier. As I crawled farther and farther outside of my comfort zone I lost more and more weight. I decided to coach and now my comfort zone continually expands and I have to keep pushing farther and farther out of it!
Had we not taken those LEAPS of FAITH, none of those things would be possible. That is why I am writing this. To encourage YOU to take the chances that come your way. And if they don’t come your way, CREATE THEM. There’s a sign that hangs in our bedroom. It says “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” I look at it every morning and it sets a tone of intention in my life. You CANNOT live in your comfort zone if you want to achieve true greatness. We do not look back at the heroes that have graced this world throughout history and say “wow, he did that and he never even took a chance, that just came to him.” We say “WOW. She put herself out there for the whole world to see and became a role model.” You don’t have to fly the first airplane in the world or invent the cure for polio to remembered as great. If you create positivity in your environment, you will always be thought of that way. But you cannot and will not achieve that greatness without getting a little uncomfortable.
I challenge those of you reading this to do something uncomfortable this week. Look into furthering your education, even if it means you’ll have less free time (you’ll make it work). Announce your weight loss goal on Facebook to hold yourself more accountable, even if you think people will judge you (they won’t). Put a job application out, even if you think no one is hiring (they are). Do something that is UNCOMFORTABLE. The more you do it, the easier it gets. And the more you do it, the more you will see successful change happening in your life. The bonus? You’ll build your self-confidence knowing that YOU made it happen!
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