Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

I was so proud of my little sis Alexis last year as she stepped on the field for Old Dominion University‘s Homecoming. After applying with other hopefuls, getting to the interviewing stage, and going through the campaign process, she managed to make it onto to ODU’s 2017 homecoming court. A big feat for her senior year!

I was proud of her beyond just making the court, because I realized that a reason she was a part of it was because of the different organizations she’s involved in at ODU, on top of maintaining a great GPA in her psychology classes. Even though she didn’t become a “Royal Monarch,” she’s still a queen to me. She may not have won the crown, but it took a lot of courage to go out for this, especially at a school with almost 20,000 undergrads. And she looked amazing!

Throughout her four years at ODU, I would advise Lex on how important it was to not just be all about school. I told her that she should get out, meet new people, and get involved, which can be daunting to do at a huge school especially. But she did anyway, stepping outside of her comfort zone and blossoming into a strong young adult that turned 22 today!

Surprised that my own baby sis would be reteaching me some life lessons LOL, but she’s been reminding me of a lot over these past few years, like watching what I say.  Looking at her that day at ODU, it was a stark reminder of how important is step out of your comfort zone and try new things, even when you really don’t know how they’re going to pan out.

Obviously, comfort zones are nice and cozy. Doing the same old things that we’re relaxed in doing is safe and secure. But the problem is that we never grow by doing the same old things over and over. We never push our limits or strengthen our skills and mindsets by staying where it’s comfortable all the time. Sure, we’re safe, but we also tend to remain stuck in the same spot.

Case in point, I just took on a new writing project that is quite different than anything I’ve done before. It’s making me a little anxious, to be honest, but I’m trying to push myself outside of my limits so that I can continue to grow as a writer. You ultimately get better and stronger by pushing yourself to do more than you thought you ever could. 

As I challenge myself, I challenge all of you to go after that new job. To take on that new project. To try your hand at something you’re curious about but never thought you would be able to do. I challenge you to go outside of your comfort zone, and see where you end up!

What was a time where you had to step outside of what you knew? How did it pan out? Let me know in the comments!