Stretching Your Comfort Zone

As you go through divorce and feel the ground moving beneath you…so many aspects of your life shifting and changing, it is easy to hold on tight, to stay within your comfort zone.  That feeling of knowing what you have and what to expect SEEMS the best choice compared to venturing beyond the borders of comfort into the unknown…especially during this already unsteady time. Or maybe not…

Our comfort zone is really more about what we find familiar.  But familiar is not always best for us or even ‘comfortable’.  Ask yourself where you are feeling stifled but afraid to step out and take even a small risk.

• Are you afraid to speak your mind because you might rock the boat, cause someone to get upset and you typically don’t do that?
• Are you uncomfortable taking time for yourself, which you desperately need because others might get mad at you?
• Do you feel lonely but cannot bring yourself to go out with new friends, because it has been so long and feels so awkward?
• Are you in an unhealthy situation and cannot imagine being bold enough to step out because the fear of the unknown feels greater than the discomfort of your current situation?

If you were bold and courageous enough; if you could get past your fear, how would it be to change some of these old patterns and behaviors that you are stuck in.  To what degree has your comfort zone become your prison?

Think of one baby step you can take this week to begin to step outside of that zone of comfort and to live in a new way.  Perhaps the baby step is visioning what that part of your life might look like…what would you change if you felt empowered and capable of doing so?  How does it feel to think about that?  Or call someone and ‘do’ something to stretch and begin to break through your comfort barrier.

Tell us what you want to do or have done in this area.  Share your fears and/or successes with us.