7 words I tell myself to get out of my comfort zone
I love my routine, but sometimes I need a small push to remind me to keep experiencing new things.
I am a creature of habit. I love my routine, my schedule, my consistency. I like knowing what’s going to happen next. I feel comfortable here. Counterintuitively, my routine is incredibly freeing.
As a result, I can be rigid and inflexible about my schedule. Unless I’m already on vacation and have plans to be schedule-free, day to day spontaneity can be a challenge.
Take sleep for example. My mornings and energy levels are important to my creativity and productivity. To be at my best, and therefore happiest, I need a lot of sleep. 9 hours is optimal. When you get up at 6am, that means going to be at 9pm. This strict bedtime policy creates challenges for my social life.
Sleep is so important to me that I become unwilling to do things that require staying up late at night. As a result, I miss out on experiences. I know this, but I just can’t help it. The thoughts of knowing I won’t get enough sleep and will feel bad in the following day plague my mind and sour the “fun” I’m supposed to be having.
I’m resistant to change. I get comfortable where I am. On the one hand, my routine and schedule help me maintain high levels of productivity and accomplish even my wildest goals. But I know I need change to grow into a better version of myself.
Luckily, I have friends and family who continue to coax me outside of my comfort zone. They encourage me to do things I would normally be hesitant to do. Surround yourself with people who don’t let you fall prey to your own temperament. The better the people around you know you, the more than can help you.
When I find myself deciding to be less spontaneous in order to maintain my routine I have a simple strategy to coax myself outside my comfort zone. It’s rooted in a phrase I tell myself when I find myself wanting to stay at home reading instead of going out and experiencing the world with friends.
It’s a phrase I tell myself when that camping trip sounds really fun but also sounds like a lot of effort and I have so much work to get done this weekend and I really should just stay home and get a good nights sleep and before I know it I’m spiraling and have convinced myself it isn’t worth it.
It’s the phrase I tell myself when getting out the door to go for a run seems insurmountable.
It’s always easier not to do something
But those will never be the days you will remember . You’ll remember the days you decided to go for it.
In repeating this phrase to myself, it reminds me that I’m not here to live life because it is easy. I’m not a glacier following the path of least resistance.
I’m here to experience, explore, and engage in the world around me. I’m here to challenge myself and grow into a better person. I’m sometimes too quick to choose the easy way out when really I crave the adventure. I enjoy new experiences even when my default mode is stick to the routine.
Whenever I’m in a situation where I remind myself that it’s easier not to do something, I usually end up doing it. It would be easier and more comfortable to stay at home tonight, get a good night sleep, make progress on my latest book, and wake up early for a nice long run.
BUT, I’d miss out on the possibilities that await me in an evening spent out of doors. An evening spent with friends under the stars. An opportunity for fresh air and fresh perspective. And all of that will end with an even better nights sleep.
