Expand Your Comfort Zone: Fear, Excitement & Three Easy Assignments

Fear of the unknown. Contempt prior to investigation. Irrational justifications. These are just some of the things that keep us nestled snugly in our comfort zones. But the result is that we end up settling for less in our lives: we accept the mediocrity of our jobs; we justify the extra weight we’ve put on; we sacrifice our happiness to ensure the happiness of others; we believe we’re not worthy of joy, love, or success; we lose our voices, our passions, and our purposes…

Wow. Who’d have thought such destructive patterns could be born from something called a “comfort zone?”

Unfortunately, expanding our comfort zones is easier said than done. It requires a leap of faith and a lot of practice to step into a whole new way of thinking and living. But the space outside our comfort zone is where the magic happens. It is where the merely possible transforms into reality.

But stepping into that space is scary. Or…is it really just exciting?

In my book,  Be the Magic of You: Tools to Transform Your Life.  I compare the physiological manifestations of fear and anxiety with those associated with excitement:

Racing thoughts Increased heart rate Increased body energy Increased adrenaline Muscles feel weak Difficult to concentrate Not able to eat Increased breathing rate

Racing thoughts Increased heart rate Increased body energy Increased adrenaline Muscles feel weak Difficult to concentrate Not able to eat Increased breathing rate

The psychological manifestations are the same! What if, when we feel afraid, we shift our perspective and recognize that we’re actually just excited? How could this intellectual shift impact the way we live our day-to-day lives and, ultimately, our ability to initiate meaningful—and magical!—change?

When we step outside our comfort zone and do something t new or uncomfortable—even small, seemingly inconsequential things—we change the neuropathways in the brain, improving neuroplasticity and enabling the brain to better adapt to learned information.

Keeping this in mind, here are three simple assignments to help you not just step outside your comfort zone, but trust that everything will be okay in taking that step.