Most of us love familiar places and people. We
like to feel comfortable with our relationships, jobs, opinions,
thoughts and anything else that is part of our daily lives. But what is
so special about the comfort zone? What makes it so appealing?
None of us like to feel frustrated, uncomfortable or stressed out,
but oftentimes we choose to engage in new, unfamiliar situations, for
future benefits. Since this article is about maintaining your progress,
we’re going to focus on replacing our old habits with new, ‘fresh’ ones.
In other words, we’re going to turn you into a person that embraces
optimism and spontaneity. Progress cannot be maintained by using the
same old mindset.
Why Is 'the Old' so Appealing?
When we
say ‘the old’ we’re actually referring to your comfort zone. In simple
terms, the comfort zone is that small ‘area’ in which you can go about
your daily activities while feeling totally safe and secure.
It’s
a small universe comprised of habits, rituals and pre-established
actions. From the inside, it looks like the most beautiful place in the
world, but from the outside it looks just like a prison. This is a
special kind of prison because in here, you’re the prisoner and the
guard, at the same time. Furthermore, it’s a comfortable prison because
you built it to serve your own personal needs. But if it’s comfortable,
why do we call it a prison? Because it prevents you from being truly
free.
Why Is It Easy to Stay in the Comfort Zone?
People
who deal with social anxiety, tend to avoid certain anxiety-producing
situations. By doing this, they narrow their ‘universe’ and restrict
their social interaction to a limited group of people. Instead of facing
an uncomfortable conversation, they avoid social interactions all
together. From this point of view, it makes perfect sense because it’s
easier to avoid a confrontation than to get involved and possibly feel
humiliated. In other words, that delightful sense of security is what
keeps us in the comfort zone. We want to end this part of the article by
asking you one relevant question: How do you expect to bring meaningful
change and exciting new opportunities into your life, if you’re still
stuck in your old ways?
When Should You Act?
In order
to achieve your goals, it’s absolutely necessary to take action RIGHT
NOW. Even when it comes to change, people with social anxiety tend to
use the same old strategies. For example, they want to change but not
right now. Maybe tomorrow or starting Monday. The thought of doing
something completely new and out of their comfort zone is enough to
scare them.
Why Should We Embrace 'the New'?
Embracing
‘the new’ means to have a certain degree of adaptability which is more
than needed in our ever-changing environment. Today, being stuck in your
old ways is completely dysfunctional and counterproductive. Our world
is changing at a fast pace and we need to keep up in order to achieve
our goals and live a happy life. New problems require new solutions.
Exciting opportunities are available for those who are not afraid to
take risks.
Bring Novelty Into Your Life!
Bringing
novelty into your life sounds like a colossal task but if you adopt a
step-by-step approach (as always), you’ll be able to progress at a slow
and steady pace. Start by changing the most basic actions, like the way
you tie your shoes or wash a plate. For instance, if you wash your
dishes with a clockwise movement, try switching to a counterclockwise
movement. If you’re right-handed, try eating with your left hand from
time to time. If you prefer sleeping on the left side of the bed, try
sleeping of the right side.
Why Do It?
The whole purpose
of these small changes is to get your mind accustomed to the idea of
‘change’. Eventually, you’ll be able to visit new places and engage in
new activities, without feeling anxious or worried. Until you get there,
implementing minor changes into your life.
No comments:
Post a Comment