Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

Change is never easy. 

If you're like me, you hate having to step outside of your Comfort Zone. It doesn't matter if the change is large or small- if you tend to resist change, your reactions will reflect in the size of that change, whether it be ant-sized or the size of an elephant.

Think of your comfort zone as a balloon. You leave it alone for a while and it starts to shrink- but if you untie the knot and blow fresh air into it regularly, it expands and widens your perspective. The problem is people are so afraid of popping their Comfort Zone balloons that they don't even try to untie the knot- and their comfort zone shrivels up like an old grape, with them feeling trapped inside.

We have to step out of our comfort zones on a regular basis- We become stagnant and afraid if we don't!

Let me give you a few examples:

1. We plan to buy a home for the first time. It will be cheaper than renting, but fear is causing me to hesitate. What if we can't handle the responsibilities? What if we miss a payment? What if the house leaks, or we have rats the size of horses? What if the place collapses five minutes after settlement?

This is how my thoughts run when I become afraid- they jump from reasonable to mind-numbing unreality. Here's another:

2. I'm working on becoming a public speaker. What if my topics are uninteresting? What if I stutter or my voice shakes during a talk? What if I forget what I'm talking about? What if they hate me and either fall asleep or start pelting me with fruit? What if my clothes decide to pop a button or rip during my presentation, and fall off because I'm shaking so badly?

You see what I'm taking about here? It doesn't matter if it's big or small, my fearful reaction to stepping out of my comfort zone will only yield one result if I let the fear take control. I'll stay in my Comfort Zone and do nothing, where my fear wants me to be. 

But that's not where God wants me to be.

When my thoughts run this little gambit, God tells me to answer in faith. He wants us to step out of our Comfort Zones. He wants us to expand as His followers. He wants us to grow, become confident, and face our fears, no matter how big or small. Why? Because He's right there beside us, egging us on or holding out His arms to catch us if we fail.

No, change is never easy. But it's necessary to become a better, more confident person. 

Face your fears. Step outside your Comfort Zone. Expand that balloon and see where it takes you. You might be surprised where you end up!