Self-imposed limits often lead us to ‘play small’ and experience fewer choices and freedom of action in our business and lives.
Recently I helped a mum who was juggling her family and health and wellness business. She had been in the field for a while and was still second-guessing herself and questioning whether she knows enough. Currently trading time for money and going through the motions, she no longer felt connected to the business. She was tired, fed up and her health was suffering.
She worried if she was being a good mother and life partner from spending too much time on the business and yet she wasn’t getting the results she desired.
We discovered that she had been driven by comfort and certainty and that it was convenient to take the easy route. Her beliefs and values were so tightly intertwined around her current situation that it was challenging for her to see options and choices outside of this, let alone take action to change things.
We all have times in our life where it is uncomfortable to step outside of our comfort zone. Most people faced with the unknown ‘freeze’, ‘fight’ or ‘run’. Some people tolerate their comfort zone because they are not willing to do what it takes to change while others are just simply ‘comfortable’.
Staying in our comfort zone after a while makes the challenges appear bigger and even more daunting. Often we’ll take one step outside and then quickly retreat because it’s too overwhelming or painful.
Unless we experience more pain around staying the same, we don’t change. There must be a compelling reason to change.
So what would happen if we expanded our comfort zone by thinking differently? What if we were no longer afraid to jump or worried about the consequences? Wouldn’t it be great to explore a new pond or an ocean full of possibilities?
The more we break free from our comfort zone, the easier the challenges are to overcome.