Thursday 29 January 2015

Climbing out of the comfort zone

This week someone I know and respect gently accused me of backing down from a project because they suspected I felt 'out of my comfort zone'.

I seized on the phrase like a drowning person would cling to a raft: "You're exactly right, I am out of my comfort zone!" Then I waited to be let off the hook.

That's where things took an interesting turn.  They had no intention of letting me off the hook. Quite the contrary.  At the end of our 'phone call, I was still very much on that particular hook.

Even more surprising is this: I'm not ecstatic about it but I'm OK.  This is NOT my average response to doing things I'm less than 100 per cent sure of.

What gives? Well, on turning forty I made myself a promise.  My new catchphrase would be - cringes inwardly - 'Forty and fearless!'. I'm only three months in but so far I've stuck to my guns.


So how does a cowardly control freak like me climb out of her comfort zone? The as-yet-unpatented three-step plan goes as follows:

Research  Spot the marketing girl (again).  It might be new to you but chances are that someone, somewhere has done it before you.  And they'll have generously shared their experience online. Get googling and get to grips with your challenge. The more you discover, the better prepared you'll be.

Supporters Your supporters don't need to have particular knowledge of what you're trying to do. They just need to be people who believe in you.  And who'll help you to believe in yourself. Surround yourself with them.

Worst case scenario  Better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all? I still have issues with this one, to be honest.  I've a real fear of failure.  But I do force myself to think through the repercussions of not achieving my goal.  Letting your mind go there is painful but liberating.

Of course the flip side of the worst case scenario is thinking through how good you'll feel if you achieve what you've set out to do...

Regardless of your plans for 2015 - fitness challenges, career goals, lifestyle changes - I wish you the very best of luck. Let's all enjoy the view from beyond our personal comfort zones.

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8 comments:

  1. I loved this article! The comfort zone is a strange place; while it is supposedly comfortable to be there, I tend to find that most people don't even want to be there, they would rather be thrust somewhere else where they are not so comfortable. brilliant post #PoCoLo

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    1. Thanks so much for reading and commenting. I'm really pleased you enjoyed the post :-)

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  2. Great post....now I hope you've gone for it...xxx

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    1. Sort of! I'm definitely still not 100% comfortable anyway! x

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  3. Aww this is what i really need in life. Confidence and guts! Goodluck on your project =)
    #pocolo

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    1. Thanks for the kind good wishes! I wish someone could bottle confidence and dispense it generously too :-)

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  4. This is a great post. GOOD for you. When I turned 40 I suddenly felt like a grown-up and knew people couldn't tell me off anymore!! Thank you for linking to #PoCoLo and good luck with it all x

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    1. Thanks Victoria! I was inspired by your earlier comment about standing up for yourself once you turn forty. Now to test-drive the new attitude....:-) x

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