According to the Cambridge Dictionary, your comfort zone is a situation or lifestyle in which you feel comfortable and in which your ability and determination are not being tested. We all live in a certain level of comfort zones. Some examples include eating the same types of food, avoiding new activities and never traveling too far from your home base. Sometimes we even tend to only participate in activities that are familiar, making us feel “in control” of our environment.
For many years, I lived my own life in a comfort zone. I did not take on new challenges or try to experience new activities. I only engaged in activities that I felt comfortable with, which created an environment of minimal travel. That lifestyle was simple. As a result, I did not have to experience any change.
Ultimately, without change, there is no growth.
Travel didn’t feel like an option for me at the time. It felt like something that other people did. However, that’s not how life is supposed to be lived. We need to travel so we can continue to grow in our experiences and share what we’ve learned with others that we meet along the way.
What’s Your Comfort Zone?
Can you look at your lifestyle and see where you have space for change? Rethink your schedule and see what changes are possible. Maybe you can organize a flexible work schedule to find a few extra hours free each week. If possible, try to schedule an entire day off. It could be life changing! I realize that it might not be an option for everyone, however you may still want to consider reviewing your work calendar. Look for opportunities to plan travel experiences around the days off that are already provided for you. A day trip counts as traveling! It doesn’t matter how big or small.
After so many years, I’ve had to practice the art of getting out of my comfort zone. Traveling to new places can be scary. Meeting new people is scary. But with a little bit of effort, we can do anything. Maybe it’s refusing to try new foods? Pick a fear and think about little ways that you can face it. Think about all the things you are interested in. What are you passionate about? What are you willing to travel for? The answer will be different for all of us. Let’s break down some of the things I did.
Ideas to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
I’m an avid reader who loves books and the authors that write them. Surprisingly, I’ve realized that there are so many different ways to meet authors, so I started planning trips to meet them. Some authors with do signings at local bookstores & libraries by traveling to multiple states to celebrate a book release. Or they might be involved in larger book signing conventions. Utilize your social media to follow your favorite authors and start noticing when they have a new book and how they will be promoting the release.
At a bookstore, you will customarily only have to purchase the book for access to the event. The event might include a Q&A about the author and their book, Q&A for the guests and if you’re lucky the author will do a meet and greet while signing your new book! I’d like to mention that this activity is very easy to do alone. You don’t need to worry about having someone with you. When you’re in a book signing line with other readers of your favorite authors, you have friends. After having read the same book, you already have shared experiences that you might not even see on the surface. But they are there. Most importantly, the author will be happy to meet their readers.
The bookstore signings are a great place to practice this activity and work your way into larger conventions. I had a wonderful experience when I recently drove an hour away from home to attend a book signing in a neighboring state.
Foodie Travel
If meeting authors is not your thing, that’s ok. Maybe food is. We all have to eat. Is there a restaurant that you’ve been thinking about going to? Are you waiting for someone to go with you? Guess what? You can go by yourself! Again, I realize that this part can be scary. Think about which part scares you the most and work on that. Do you need to have people to talk to? Try sitting at the bar area. The bartender will check on you frequently and sometimes you might even get faster service. If it’s your first time visiting, tell them. They will be sure to tell you everything you need to know to have an enjoyable experience.
Keep in mind you do not need to order an alcoholic beverage just because you’re sitting at the bar area. You don’t have to do anything in a specific way. If you don’t want to sit at the bar area, that’s ok! Consider bringing a book, magazine or newspaper with you. Keeping busy while sitting at the table will help calm down the jitters while you wait for your food.
Create Opportunities to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone to Travel More
If you push yourself a little bit each time, you can work up to bigger adventures. If the ideas I mentioned are too small for you, that’s ok. Think about taking a day trip. Look at your surrounding areas and see what places are considered travel spots. Then utilize the local Chamber of Commerce or tourism website to see what events are upcoming. Or you can simply show up in person and see where the day takes you.
Each day you push yourself out of your comfort zone, you’ll gain a bit more confidence. With more confidence the opportunities will be endless. Start thinking about where you can go to practice getting out of your comfort zone. Don’t forget to check out last week’s post Travel Tips for additional ideas.
