One of the best things you can do in your life is to constantly invest in yourself.
Take chances, try new things, and expand your perspective. However, this isn’t always the easiest thing to do.
Oftentimes we get caught up in the routine of things. Many of us crave familiarity and knowing what to expect. Being in a comfortable situation allows us to focus on a few key areas without having to constantly be on our toes all the time.
Even with the few positives that come with staying in the routine, there is a strong case for stepping out of your comfort zone every once in a while. Being out of your comfort zone invokes you to change your perspective and see how your personality reacts to being put in new situations.
Admittedly, trying something new is never easy. I’m not the type of person who can just read a few motivational quotes and instantly be up for something new.
I don’t even think reading motivational quotes or doing positive affirmations is all that helpful when it comes to embracing the idea of putting yourself out there. Sure, they are good to read, but in terms of being actionable, they can fall flat.
If you’re looking for ideas on how to step out of your comfort zone, then here are seven ways to do it.
1) Start a Blog
I started out blogging as a hobby. It was a creative outlet I had from a time when I felt very unfulfilled with my day job and time spent outside of work.
As months passed, I slowly started to build up more contacts within the blogosphere. Talking with other bloggers and writing weekly articles helped me better define my voice and how to explain myself.
My blog eventually started to make money by allowing me to start freelance writing, which was something I had wanted to do for a while but put off because of fear and discomfort. As a got more into freelancing I learned how to market my services and foster new business relationships.
As an introvert, it’s never something I thought I would be able to do. All it took was taking the first step of starting a blog.
2) Do Some Public Speaking
When you think of public speaking, you mind may wander back to the days of school when teachers would make you stand up in front of the class to present. The experience was haunting, made your nerves go to an absolute high, and swiftly made you never want to do public speaking again.
Public speaking isn’t all that bad. It doesn’t have to involve standing up in front of a crowd of thousands in a major event. It could be as simple as speaking as part of a community event, during a volunteer organization, or a conference session. There are multiple ways to do it.
It can help you learn how to speaking in a cohesive way and make you more comfortable when it comes to making announcements or sharing thoughts. Try it out.
3) Take Up a New Hobby
The wonderful thing about the Internet is the copious amounts of free information readily available. There is probably a YouTube tutorial for almost everything.
In my free time, I’ve been learning a new language by studying Spanish using a free app called Duolingo. The lessons on Duolingo can be completed in five minutes so I can fit in some learning even when I’m short on time.
The best part is I’ve actually been able to use what I’ve learned. When I was on a vacation a few months back, I met some Spanish speakers in my hostel and was able to have a conversation in Spanish with them.
Try out a new hobby today. It could be knitting, sewing, graphic design, playing a sport or whatever.
4) Start a Side Hustle
There are side hustles that lend themselves naturally towards getting out of your comfort zone. The first thing that comes to mind is driving with Uber or Lyft.
You constantly meet new people and strike up new conversations. Plus, you’re getting to drive new routes and see new surroundings, all while earning some extra money.
However, even side hustles for introverts have the ability to help you step out of your comfort zone. Blogging as a side hustle involves interacting with other bloggers and thinking of new ways to improve your blog. Freelance writing involves figuring out how to best market yourself to prospective clients.
There is something truly powerful about making money outside of a traditional job. Aside from the obvious benefit of extra cash, it allows you to learn new skills and expand your scope. DC was able to pay down $100K in student loans via side hustles, which he details in his book.
5) Book Things You Can’t Get Out of
I’m sure most of us have said yes to doing something and then, later on, regretted it. It can be easy to say yes to plans and then later cancel when you have nothing on the line.
With winter in full swing, it can be easy to just want to stay inside and never go out. Aim to start booking a few things you can’t get out of. Pay for some workshops or classes you’ve wanted to try. Tell several people so they can keep you accountable.
You’re less likely to cancel something when you’ve already paid for it or told several people about it.
DC here – this is an excellent way to step out of your comfort zone. I’ve done this for multiple things that push me out of my comfort zone and it’s really paid off. This is a good one for public speaking in particular. Once you say yes to public speaking it’s difficult to back out of it without looking bad.
6) Track Your Time
“I’m busy and don’t have time” is one the most often phrases you hear as an adult. Sometimes you really are busy and don’t have time.
Although, let’s be honest, at one point or another we have all said we were “busy” when we probably could have done the thing we wanted to do. Start tracking how you’re spending your time to see if you truly too busy to do anything else.
It can be easy to hide behind saying you’re busy so you don’t have to do something that will get you out of your comfort zone. Track how you spend your time for a few weeks so you can see any time draining activities you may be doing.
I’m not here to say watching TV or checking social media is bad. However, you may be able to cut down on it to make some room for doing a new activity, developing a side hustle or speaking in public. You need something that will break up your usual routine.
7) Try Challenges
There are all sorts of challenges on the Internet to try. Some of them are a little out there, but others can be a fun way to try something new.
One of my favorite things to do from time to time is to try a no-spend challenge. They force me to get creative with how to have fun while still paying all the monthly essentials.
Doing something to step out of your comfort zone is a process. It’s something you have to constantly make an effort to do. It can be nerve-racking, but the benefits and experiences you get can have a huge payoff for your confidence, perspective, and even your financial life.
While motivation quotes and affirmations are great, you should always pair them with some actionable things to do.
What do you do to step out of your comfort zone?
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I’m agree with every single point of the post, sometimes go far from comfort zone is the best deal for yourself:P