Key Things To Know About Comfort Zone

I received this forward on WhatsApp the other day from one of my friends. As I read it, while I agreed with it initially in the nick of the moment, I kept reading it. As I did that, more discoveries about "comfort zone" happened in me.

The purpose of this article is to share my understanding of this quote and around "comfort zone" holistically.

What is Comfort Zone?

A google search gives a definition like this - a situation where one feels safe or at ease.

That is very true. When we are in our comfort zone, we generally feel relaxed and happier. Our mind is calm, and our emotional being is undisturbed.

Comfort Zone and The Context

Let's understand the nature of the comfort zone. What is NOT in my comfort zone today may become comfortable over time as I work on things. For example, running a 10K was not a comfortable thing for me to do to start with, but as I trained, I got comfortable with it over time.

The journey was quite interesting if I were to share more about it. It seemed like a big thing at first, from a mindset standpoint. As I became clear with my goal and the purpose, I started training by giving efforts. It initially felt as if I am living in a different world altogether like getting up too early, and the shock that the body felt through running. But quickly over weeks and months, I got very comfortable with running as an activity, and distances came by as a result.

Though I felt the challenge, I also believe, I was doing it very comfortably through days and weeks. The point is that I still believe I was not completely out of my comfort zone from an emotional being. Though I felt the challenge with lifestyle changes, the more I embraced them because I had decided to work on my goal (become active and fit, be stress-free, build wellness), everything else felt comfortable and easy.

So, Comfort Zone as a concept may be there, and largely, it may bring negative connotations to people at first when they hear it, but it can be a very positive thing based on how you define it or see it for yourself. Can I accomplish great things by being in my comfort zone? Yes, you can, in my view, as long as you have a clear goal for yourself, give efforts in a sustained way, and hold with undisturbed emotions in you as you do it.

Comfort Zone and The Environment

It's majorly the environment in which people are in, also brings more context to the "comfort zone" elements. When the environment brings more pressure on one, it may be a negative thing not letting the person blossom in his or her ways. Definitely, there is a need to seed the intent in people to become better, and once that is done, anyone could stand up and do anything without even thinking about whether they are in their comfort zone or not. It wouldn't matter much. And the result is that the boundary of their comfort zone would start expanding.

When Could Comfort Zone Be Bad?

When they know that they are in their comfort zone, don't see anything growing in them, be it knowledge, skill, and even their thought process, and still don't take any effort to bring in changes for their own good.

Final Thoughts

We need not confuse ourselves with these two things. Being in "Comfort Zone" and Being Comfortable. We could feel comfortable with anything that is thrown at us, take time, give efforts, and we could evolve in our comfort zones. So, Comfort Zone is not necessarily a bad thing always. I wouldn't fully agree with the quote. What about you?!