Comfort Zone: how to expand it?

Being in the comfort zone, a person performs habitual actions for him, which are interesting to him and do not cause unpleasant sensations (fatigue, impatience, fear). In the comfort zone, everything is predictable and stable.

The comfort zone is like a soap bubble, beyond which there is an unfamiliar and dangerous world around - risk zone (area of ​​possible actions, field of opportunity). Exit to the risk zone from the comfort zone, as a rule, is accompanied by discomfort, but he - necessary condition for personal development. In the comfort zone, we are as if "suspended": because we are well and comfortable, we are not going to change anything. We do not develop, and if nothing is done, the degradation of the personality may eventually begin.

Therefore, it is very important to learn expand the comfort zone: learn to do those things that do notwant to, or scary, but necessary. Usually the younger a person, the more willing he expands his comfort zone, and the easier it turns out for him. Usually, the expansion of the boundaries of the comfort zone occurs in three stages.

Stage 1 - awareness of borders. It is necessary to understand what actions and habits we do with pleasure, and what causes us discomfort, i.e. do not enter into our comfort zone.


2 stage - finding a comfortable zone at the border. We are aware of the moment when the exit from the comfort zone comes, there is uncertainty, fear, etc. and take the first attempts to enter the risk zone.


Stage 3 - expansion of the comfort zone. If we regularly carry out certain actions, we gradually include them in our comfort zone.

To successfully expand the comfort zone, several important conditions must be met. First, we need clear motivation. Answer the question: "Why should I do this?""," What will it give me? "The key word is" me ", not parents, teachers or other people, but personally you. If you do not have personal interest, the comfort zone will remain in its previous borders.

Secondly, change attitude to the situation. Usually out of the comfort zonewe associate with something terrible and complicated. Convince yourself that where your comfort zone ends, a dark forest starts not full of dangers, but an exciting and interesting new world that you need to conquer. In development you need to see not its difficult aspects, but interesting ones.

Do not try to expand the comfort zone immediately in all directions. Start with something one, and it is desirable - not too much for youunpleasant. For example, you are used to getting up at the last moment in the morning and running out to work without having breakfast. Begin daily set the alarm for 10 minutes tomorrow and before going to work, drink a cup of coffee with a sandwich.

Please note that the comfort zone will not expand immediately. In order for the action to become a habit and cease to "strain", you will need about three weeks regular daily reps. Try not to shirk and not postpone until the last - the more you put off, the harder it starts.

At first, you most likely will not feel any discomfort, "Fueled" by enthusiasm, caused by a new beginning. But over time, enthusiasm will dry up, and there may be a desire to give up everything. If you do, the comfort zone will again take its usual boundaries, and all efforts to expand it will go to waste.

In this case, there are a couple of tricks that help move on. For example, written reminders. Stick to prominent places stickers calling for action. May I help. Or take yourself "weakly."

Can enlist the support of friends: conclude with them a bet that you will be hurtto lose. Or just tell us about your idea as much as possible. If they support your endeavor, you will try to support their faith in you. If they treat him skeptically, you will want to prove to them that you all can.

The comfort zone should constantly expand - withoutthis is not possible personal growth. And if you approach the expansion of the comfort zone not as an inevitable evil, but as an exciting test, you will relieve yourself of discomfort and easily reach new peaks.