Some of my clients are probably sick of hearing me talk about the benefits of stretching your comfort zone.
I get it. It’s hard. It’s called a comfort zone for a reason. It’s comfy!
But the feelings of pride and confidence I get when I have nudged my own comfort zone make me a passionate advocate for this practice.
These days, it can sometimes be hard to find new ways to do this. It’s easy to get stuck in a routine doing the same type of things.
Last month I bit the bullet and finally decided to go for an open-water swim in the royal docks – connected to the river Thames.
It was cold. A lot colder than the sunshine in the picture below implies. But I gave it a go and was happy I did afterwards.
3 tips for nudging your comfort zone…
- Start small
It doesn’t need to be a big grand gesture. What is one new thing you could do that is out of your routine? Could you go for a run? Take a cold shower? Sign up to a networking event? - Start now
It’s so easy to delay nudging out comfort zone until we feel ready. In reality, you may never feel ready! What is one thing you could do today to start stretching your zone of comfort? Could you email that person you’ve been meaning to connect with? Write a blog for LinkedIn? - Keep going
When you start taking small steps to nudge your comfort zone, it often feels easier to take bigger leaps. Talk with a friend to brainstorm ideas that allow you both to grow. You could decide to co-set weekly goals for each of you to try new things and nudge your comfort zone.