Comfort Zones

By Anne Walter

When is the last time you had a conversation about individual “comfort zones?” Unless you’re in the Sales field, I would venture to say that it hasn’t been at the top of the list of “most interesting topics” for the general population. Yet so many of us do not venture “out,” even though it can be incredibly informative. So why don’t we? From a logical perspective, we might think that staying within our “safety zone” is the best choice. At first, this might make sense, but it’s not a successful long-term strategy.

Assessing your “audience” or who you interact with, whether work associate, the general public, family members, acquaintances etc.., and knowing when to move beyond those “gridlines” is an important and vital communications skill. Initially, it can seem counter-intuitive to venture into the “unfamiliar,” but it will create that “familiarity,” which is what we all crave.

Actively embracing this way of thinking, allows for the expansion of our boundaries and this “remapping” creates larger areas of “comfort.” What was previously uncomfortable to you, will now have become familiar and that translates into a stronger, more confident persona than before. Opening yourself up to meeting new people or engaging others more comprehensively allows you to actively become more inclusive…and that’s personal growth.

Ultimately, attempting to embrace the unknown can be difficult, but we might want to think about taking this alternate path of the “unfamiliar” as it can make all the difference.

“Maybe we should all venture out a little bit more often…”