Escape the Prison of Your Comfort Zone
I was recently talking to someone who was very possibly the most insecure person I've ever met. She had a problem that she desperately wanted fixed. I must have given her a dozen suggestions on how to fix it quickly and easily. Each one she shot down because "that's not the type of person she is". In essence the fix was outside of her comfort zone. So instead of fixing the problem she chose to agonize over it and try to make everyone feel sorry that she had this problem.
The solution was so easy and would have kept all of her worry and anguish away. It would only have taken a few minutes of squirming, gaining up the courage, and doing it.
Stepping outside of your comfort zone is the only way for you to grow, for your life to move forward.
No one really likes to do this. It's not comfortable, you become anxious and self conscious, but it still must be done if you want to move forward in life.
Most people don't believe me when I tell them I was the most awkward social person ever to exist. I was either completely invisible, or when I did finally speak the moment a sentence came out of my mouth everyone fell quiet, gave me a strange look and broke apart or ignored me completely. They don't believe me because now I can walk confidently up to someone and start a conversation that can last for hours.
It didn't happen all at once. I worked in baby steps.
I knew what I wanted, but it was so far out of my comfort range that it was as if I stood at the base of a mountain and my goal was on the highest peak. I couldn't even take that first step without my chest constricting and my throat closing off.
So instead I inched my foot closer. I broke that goal into small manageable pieces that took me just a step outside of my comfort zone. The first one: Meet people's eyes. It took me nearly three weeks to first meet someone's eye and hold it for at least 5 seconds, then 10, then long enough that they were the ones that broke the contact off. I practiced everywhere I went; stores, the street, random meetings. It didn't take me long to learn that most people will not hold your gaze for more than a few seconds, and it boosted my confidence tremendously.
Since then I have applied this method many times, always with great success. Baby steps, first one toe out, then a foot. Before long you're striding forward, moving past the point of no return and stretching those comfort zone boundaries beyond what you had ever imagined. It is possible and so many problems are solved if you're just willing to move outside of your comfort zone.
How To Think And Become A Successful Webpreneur"By Richard Essi
Just remember, you can do anything you set your mind to, but it takes action, perseverance, and facing your fears.
--Gillian Anderson
in mere possession or in lavish expenditure
but in its wise application
Miguel de Cervantes