When did you last step outside of your comfort zone?
When did you last experience that uncomfortable sensation in the pit of your stomach that leaves you questioning your decisions and fighting the urge to quit and walk away?
It feels like a very unnatural thing to deliberately set yourself up to feel that fear, of being able to live up to the moment or succeed in a task you are not sure you have the skill or stamina to complete. The human race is, after all, hardwired to avoid discomfort and seek pleasure. It’s probably a big part of the reason we have thrived as a species. It is also why we are so easily drawn to consume things like sugar and spending a day on the couch rather than running a marathon. Comfortable is nice. Comfortable is easy. Comfortable feelssafe. But therein lies the question – is it in fact “safe” to exist purely in your comfort zone?
While feeling and indeed being safe is a fundamental facet of good health, choosing to avoid the discomfort of testing the waters outside of your comfort zone could mean that you miss out on the opportunity to be fitter, stronger, faster, more knowledgeable, wiser, and even healthier.
The curiosity to discover what is possible is what has driven humans to achieve seemingly impossible feats of tenacity and endurance. But we can also scale that way back and consider that being willing to lean into discomfort has led to someone’s first class at the gym, first 5K run, and first taste of a previously avoided ‘healthy food’.
The return on investment is unlikely to be immediate but that is part of the process. Think of a time — no matter how great or seemingly small — when you felt that sensation of being in an environment that you were both intrigued by and slightly scared of. What exactly did you feel? Where did you feel it? If you achieved whatever it was that made you feel this way, how did you feel after? What did you feel? Even if the experience wasn’t all that enjoyable there is still the accomplishment of walking away with knowledge.
We have an incredible capacity to learn and grow. The more we challenge ourselves, the more we become curious about what else we can achieve and how we can do things or use our bodies and minds more efficiently and effectively. That first class at the gym may have felt truly intimidating and left you winded and in a state of shock, but perhaps from that came significant improvements in health and fitness. Then some gradual but notable lifestyle changes. From there, an adventure that might not have been possible if it wasn’t for the willingness to lean into discomfort, to lean away from feeling “safe.”
If you are at all curious about your potential as a human being, then it is essential that you are curious about leaning into discomfort. It is of course imperative to distinguish between actual pain (physical or emotional) that most definitely signals that you should stop and feeling uncomfortable, which is not a reason to walk away. Maybe you have heard or even said to someone who seems willing to test their limits “Oh, it’s easy for you” but is that simply a reason to justify an easy exit? While the degree of discomfort may differ, it is never easy to challenge yourself no matter who you are. It takes practice. Start small and every time you allow yourself to be okay with being outside of your comfort zone and you survive that experience, check in and ask “What can I take away from it? What did I learn?”
People do extraordinary things every single day. Maybe that is climbing the world’s highest peaks or running ultra marathons, but maybe it is as epic as making a choice to start the journey towards a healthier lifestyle. Whatever the challenge, trust that you are capable. Even if you don’t succeed the first time, remember you gained knowledge, and that knowledge can empower you to try again until you achieve your goal.
