ManSpaceManSpace

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    How the Law of Attraction Can Make Your Dreams Come True

    04/04/2022

    Your Comfort Zone is an Illusion And it Can Be Shattered

    31/03/2022

    Anxiety Disorder Recovery – The 4 Core Principles

    19/03/2022
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    ManSpaceManSpace
    LOGIN  /  SIGN UP
    ManSpaceManSpace
    Home»General Interest»Your Comfort Zone is an Illusion And it Can Be Shattered
    General Interest

    Your Comfort Zone is an Illusion And it Can Be Shattered

    Learn how to push through your comfort zone and achieve anything you want
    Updated:31/03/20225 Mins Read
    Your comfort zone is an illusion
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Reddit Telegram Pinterest Email Tumblr

    Your comfort zone is a protective mechanism, but while its purpose is to keep you safe, it can also prevent you from achieving many of the things you really want to. If you confine yourself only to what you feel comfortable with, you will not grow and evolve as intended.

    “A comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing grows there.”

    We all have a comfort zone, but did you wonder how yours came about?

    What is a Comfort Zone?

    According to Wikipedia, “A comfort zone is a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person and they are at ease and (perceive they are) in control of their environment, experiencing low levels of anxiety and stress. In this zone, a steady level of performance is possible.”

    So, your comfort zone is a set of experiences or circumstances with which you feel safe, or comfortable. For example, you may be very comfortable at home or close to home, but feel uneasy when travelling more than a certain distance away from home. Some like to think of it as an imaginary circle in which they place everything they are comfortable with. Anything that makes them uncomfortable, anxious, scared or even terrified, falls outside of this imaginary circle, and is generally avoided.

    Here are some activities that many people find uncomfortable, and therefore place outside their comfort zone:

    • Skydiving
    • Public speaking
    • Air travel
    • Making a presentation at work
    • Confrontation
    • Changing job or career
    • Moving to a new place

    Where Does Our Comfort Zone Come From?

    The truth is you create your comfort zone, based on your experiences and your resulting levels of confidence, self-esteem, etc. Phobias are another contributing factor. For example, if you are afraid of heights it’s unlikely you will want to go skydiving. You may decide to do this as a way of challenging or expanding your comfort zone, and we’ll come to that later.

    These perceived circles change and evolve over time, shaped by our various experiences, including:

    • Traumatic events
    • Abusive relationships
    • Abusive childhood
    • Relationship breakups
    • Phobias
    • News & media coverage
    • Movies, books or video games

    Basically, anything to which you are exposed can influence your perception of what is safe.

    Imagine you, at he age of 7, have to give a presentation at school. You stumble on some of the words and a couple of the other kids laughed and make fun of your presentation. Embarrassment causes your face to blush. We’ve all had experiences like that, but at the age of 7, when we’re still learning what is safe and what is not, this kind of experience can have a profound impact.

    This could, understandably, lead to a fear of public speaking that, unless addressed in therapy, may last the rest of your life. As a result, public speaking and presentations could then take their places firmly outside your comfort zone.

    Nothing is Permanent

    So if you created your comfort zone, then you get to decide how big it is and what fits inside it, right?

    Absolutely right!

    As an example, if you’ve been living with anxiety disorder for some time, chances are your comfort zone has become smaller and smaller. Each time you add another thing to the list of things you can’t do because of anxiety, that circle shrinks even more.

    This is one of the ways agoraphobia comes about – your circle shrinks so much that you literally cannot leave home. You may not even feel safe in your own home.

    Pushing the Boundaries

    As humans, we’re driven by an innate need to challenge ourselves and grow intellectually and emotionally. If we restrict ourselves to only doing the things we’re comfortable with then, while this may make for an easy life, it will likely prevent us from achieving many of the things we want to achieve.

    Stepping outside your comfort zone can be a scary experience but it’s also extremely rewarding and, the more you do it, the more confident you will become.

    As with exposure therapy, I suggest starting with something small – something you’re pretty sure you can do, even though it’s going to feel a bit unpleasant. For example, if you find crowded places very challenging then don’t head straight for a busy shopping mall! First, try somewhere open like a park, where there are some people, but not too many, plus lots of open space. From here, you can gradually surround yourself with more and more people each time, at a pace you’re happy with.

    As another example, if you want to get a new job but don’t feel comfortable with interviews, ask a friend to go through a mock interview process with you. It may sound silly but your sub-conscious doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined, so this can actually be a very effective way to build your confidence in preparation for the real thing.

    Go For It!

    So don’t let your comfort zone define what you can and can’t do – challenge it, expand it, push the boundaries and little by little your world will get bigger and your list of options will get longer. In the same way it shrank, it can expand again.

    Remember that your soul needs to expand, but the subconscious (specifically the ego, or identity) will resist change and anything else it perceives as a threat. Push the boundaries of what you believe to be possible, follow you passion and you’ll be amazed what you can achieve.

    Was this article helpful?
    YesNo
    comfort exposure phobia therapy zone

    Related Posts

    How the Law of Attraction Can Make Your Dreams Come True

    8 Mins Read04/04/2022

    Anxiety Disorder Recovery – The 4 Core Principles

    9 Mins Read19/03/2022

    Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Relief

    2 Mins Read19/03/2022

    Anxiety vs Excitement

    2 Mins Read19/03/2022
    Add A Comment

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Get More ManSpace!

    Don't miss out - sign up here to stay informed about new articles. Sent monthly, no spam (we promise)

    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    Don't Miss

    5 Things You Need to Start Doing Now if You Have Anxiety

    3 Mins Read19/03/2022

    Here is a list of things you can start doing right now to help reduce…

    Why Talking Therapy May Not be Right For You

    28/07/2021

    Your Comfort Zone is an Illusion And it Can Be Shattered

    31/03/2022

    Mental Imaging for Anxiety Relief

    19/03/2022
    Our Picks

    How the Law of Attraction Can Make Your Dreams Come True

    04/04/2022

    Your Comfort Zone is an Illusion And it Can Be Shattered

    31/03/2022

    Anxiety Disorder Recovery – The 4 Core Principles

    19/03/2022

    Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Relief

    19/03/2022

    For men who demand more from life, ManSpace tackles everything from anxiety and mental health to wealth and abundance.

    Take a dive deep inside yourself - discover your true purpose, how to find happiness and how to create the life you always dreamed of.

    Get More ManSpace

    Don't miss out - sign up here to stay informed about new articles. Sent monthly, no spam (we promise)

    Browse by Tag
    abundance acceptance action anxiety anxiety disorder comfort exercise exposure faith feelings guidance law of attraction lifestyle manifest nutrition patience phobia recovery therapy thoughts vibrations visualisation zone
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest
    © 2023 ManSpace - all rights reserved

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT