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What Are the Benefits of Staying In (and Getting Out of) Your Comfort Zone?
There are certain rituals in my life that give me comfort, enjoyment, and a sense of calm and stability.
Going out for my early morning walk. That first cup of strong coffee in the morning. Tilting my face up to the summer sun. Writing. Watching a favorite movie whose plot and lines I know by heart because I’ve seen it twenty times already. Taking a bite of a sandwich packed with Nutella. Also anything related to, or including, chocolate.
Experiencing those moments brings me joy. Some things remind me of childhood and growing up on the Mediterranean coast. Other things are a sensory experience that brings pleasure and serve as a reminder that I am right here, today, in this moment — and nowhere else. Yes, that does mean I am relishing in my comfort zone. This is a reminder that being in it has many advantages. You know what your comfort moments are and why you enjoy them — as long as that’s what you do. Enjoy them.
How do you make the distinction between enjoying a comfort zone and having an awareness that you’re not there any more because it feels good but for completely different reasons?
Anxiety or worry about the future. Lack of knowledge about something important. Fear of new things.