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Our comfort zones are places we retreat to-often never venturing out of-when we feel vulnerable, challenged, or just plain uncomfortable. We tend to stay in a zone where we are confident in the outcome and our own strengths. They are places where doubt rarely slips in. It limits our progression and prevents growth.

We will do anything to avoid activities that are outside our comfort zones. One example we discussed was public speaking. Some people are deathly afraid of public speaking. Fear keeps them from even attempting it. In school, I loved being loud and obnoxious in class…until the teacher called me to the front of the class and made me repeat what I had said publicly to everyone. Everyone had already heard me say it once already, but the moment I was made to stand in front of the class, everything changed. I grew timid, and uncomfortable. I was afraid of speaking in font of everyone when all the attention was on me. It was a simple thing that I had already done to get attention, but the moment I had full attention and the fear of judgement became real to me, I froze.

We all have something that is outside our comfort zone. We should constantly act to expand our comfort zones. It helps us grow and develop skills that we otherwise wouldn’t have thought possible. I never would have thought public speaking was something I could do. Now I have been a teacher at University level and teach people every day how to sell in business. Being in front of small to large groups is common for me now and I look back on my comfort zone then and see that I have made huge strides. Growth is not always noticeable at first. It may be gradual and even seem like not very much progress has been made, but if we look back over the years, we will see just how far we have come.

Don’t let fear keep you from becoming the best “You” possible. Try new things, meet new people, and grow your skill set. Continue to expand your comfort zones.