So….if I could I would live in capris, tank tops, and flip flops. I’m comfy in those. I never go out in public without a bra. It’s just who I am. I stay in my comfort zone.
The comfort zone can be a good place…it’s safe. But, when you stay in your comfort zone for too long…it can become almost like a prison. It’s very routine. And it creates fear…which can be your biggest enemy.
Comfort zones exist in so many places in your life. How you step away is all about where you have become complacent, and what freedoms you have.
Work
Becoming complacent in you job is very easy to do. If your job is anything like mine, you do the same things every day. I come to work, answer calls, schedule appointments, answer emails, and go home. The only real excitement is what a customer may create. There aren’t a whole lot of ways to change things up. One way to step out of the comfort zone is to talk to your boss about taking on more or even different responsibilities. This step has multiple benefits. It changes things up from the mundane for you, but it could also open up new positions and possibly more money for you.
Relationships
It’s very hard to get out of your comfort zone in a relationship. It’s so easy to get into a rut. You do certain things on certain days. You each have certain chores per se. You each pay certain bills. Work schedules can wreck havoc on a relationship, and the comfort zone can bring just that…comfort. But when you get too comfortable, it can create problems.
When you fall into that comfort routine, you start to lose communication. Communication is key…without it your relationship will fail. As someone who is on their 3rd marriage…I know.
My marriage definitely exists in a comfort zone for the most part. My husband and I work completely opposite schedules. I get up in the morning and head to work. My husband takes care of the dishes and laundry during the day, then he goes to work. By the time I get home from work, he has been at his job for a few hours already. Once I am home, I let the dogs out, make dinner, then work on either our blogs or our ministry. By the time my husband gets home from work, I am already in bed…sometimes already sleeping. Because of our work schedules, we usually only have 1 day off together every other week. That makes things really hard.
So…we have figured out ways to combat living in the comfort zone.
We actually plan weekends when we can take time together. This past weekend is a prime example. We both had a 3-day weekend. So Saturday, we went to brunch, got pedicures and massages, followed by an amazing dinner. Sunday we spent the day at the Renaissance Festival. Then Monday we relaxed and went to my husband’s company bbq. But we did it together. We actually try to do this once a month, just so we have time together and don’t loose sight of what is important.
Your Look
I stated earlier in this article that given the choice, I would live in capris and tank tops. Why? Because it’s comfortable. I hardly ever wear dresses. I don’t wear heels….ever. I style my hair the same way almost every day. I rarely wear makeup. I just started wearing jewelry again thanks to a friend that sells Paparazzi. I think it is safe to say that I am in a rut and I definitely need a change. Change can start with something as simple as a hair cut, changing the style of clothing that you wear, changing your hair color…little things like that. I think, though, that this can be the hardest area of your life to change. I personally am struggling that. I know that I want to change up my look, but I don’t how that looks for me yet.
I will say, this past weekend I did take a HUGE step out of my own comfort zone, however. I dressed in full costume for the Renaissance Festival, including a corset. That for me was a big one. Not only was I wearing a corset for the 1st time in my life ever, but I was also in public without a bra because of it. Talk about feeling out of place! But, by the end of the day, I was glad that I did it. I got so many compliments, and I felt amazing!
I encourage everyone to take a few steps out of their comfort zone. It may feel a little intimidating at first, but it’s worth it.
Please join in the conversation! Comment ways that you have been able to step out of your comfort zone. Also, comment any suggestions that you have to me to change up my look and step away from my own comfort zone.
