For many, staying in one’s comfort zone is associated with peace and stability. But is it a good thing to stay in one’s comfort zone always? And is discomfort always a bad thing? Not really.
In this post, I’d like to share why I think staying in your comfort zone is overrated. You can gain more benefits and positive outcomes from embracing discomfort whenever necessary. Or to even look for discomfort by challenging yourself. Here are reasons why your comfort zone isn’t always a safe place to stay in.
Discomfort is inevitable
One of the reasons why staying in your comfort zone for too long isn’t a good idea is life can create unexpected and uncomfortable situations for us. And we can find ourselves in a difficult place in life out of nowhere.
For example, the current pandemic has compelled a number of people to look into side gigs, entrepreneurship, and creating new businesses. Similarly, many people have had to build new skills and pivot into entirely new careers if their industry was severely impacted by the pandemic.
On a daily basis, pushing yourself to do difficult things like exercising, studying, or building new career skills will keep you prepared for unexpected incidents. And daily challenges also help you build mental resilience. So that unexpected events do take place in life, you’ll have inner knowledge and confidence that you can cope with whatever life throws at you.
We adapt to our circumstances quickly
One of the reasons why staying in one’s comfort zone is overrated is because humans are adaptable.
We get used to the situation we’re in so that even when we reach a place in life we formerly craved, once we spend some time there, we feel restless, unchallenged, and start looking for our next source of excitement.
For example, many people who look forward to retirement find themselves lost rather than relaxed. Similarly, people who aim for a certain promotion, level of wealth, or some other goal they set also report feeling deflated after a while.
It’s important to realize that personal fulfillment and happiness are not a one-stop destination. The goalposts keep changing and when you embrace this and become willing to step out of your comfort zone, you’ll find your drive and purpose again.
Growth and wisdom come from challenges
When our experiences in life are limited, our understanding of the world and even other people becomes narrower.
When you step out of your comfort zone by learning a new language, undertaking a role you’re not familiar with at work, or traveling, you create more experiences.
Such challenges and new experiences force you to re-examine what you know and increase your knowledge. As a result, you’ll gain more wisdom and also improve your personal development.
Other ways to increase your knowledge include reading books, doing online courses, and joining communities where you share information. Through networking and daily activities, you learn new things, expand what you know, and grow.
Conclusion
When we get fixated on reaching a level of comfort in our lives, we can miss out on meaningful life lessons. However, this isn’t an endorsement to dwell in unhappiness since feeling comfortable and peaceful is important. Rather, take note if you feel like you’re stuck in a rut in your work life or personal life. If you don’t feel excited by work or if don’t know what to do with your free time, then you might need to embrace discomfort in some way.
Difficulties and challenges that lead to growth in life. And when you can see this, you’ll start to appreciate them and develop resilience and patience.