David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Are Your Comfort Zones Holding You Back?
by Carolyn Rubenstein, Psychology Today
September 2, 2010
Fulfilling the desire for change when you're stuck in a comfort zone
As creatures of habit, we find great comfort in engaging in a pattern of what feels natural and familiar. At the same time, however, our desires often change; we make new goals, gain new dreams, and develop new passions.
But with this desire for change comes reluctance to take the actions needed to move along a new path ? to change the status quo ? and we may often feel stuck.
We begin to try to perceive our ability to make any kind of change and judge ourselves, typically in subtle ways that can build into a powerful influence over our actions.
We may tell ourselves the following:
What are comfort zones?
Take Action
Comfort zones exist in every area in our lives. The key is to be aware of them and examine which comfort zones may not be serving our current goals. Which comfort zones are preventing you from creating change?
In order to determine the answers to these questions, first, explore your comfort zones. Then, determine the solution to feeling stuck in your routine. Are you willing to move beyond the known into the unknown? Is the change you desire worth the discomfort of leaving what is familiar? No one can answer these questions but you. Most importantly, never underestimate the power of your intuition ? what is your gut telling you?
Carolyn Rubenstein is the author of Perseverance: True Voices of Cancer Survivors , a book that profiles young adults who exemplify resilience in the face of adversity. At age 14, she started a non-profit organization, Carolyn's Compassionate Children, which today supports young adult cancer survivors through a number of initiatives, including financial aid for college. Now 24 years old, Carolyn is a graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Harvard University. In her free time she practices yoga and spends as much time as she can with her family, her friends, and her dog Lila Rose. Visit her blog, A Beautiful Ripple Effect, for fresh content and inspiring tools to help you turn knowledge into action and action into change.
1 Description of The Bigger Game used with permission from It?s All Made Up, Inc.
by Carolyn Rubenstein, Psychology Today
September 2, 2010
Fulfilling the desire for change when you're stuck in a comfort zone
As creatures of habit, we find great comfort in engaging in a pattern of what feels natural and familiar. At the same time, however, our desires often change; we make new goals, gain new dreams, and develop new passions.
But with this desire for change comes reluctance to take the actions needed to move along a new path ? to change the status quo ? and we may often feel stuck.
We begin to try to perceive our ability to make any kind of change and judge ourselves, typically in subtle ways that can build into a powerful influence over our actions.
We may tell ourselves the following:
- ?I am overwhelmed and don?t have time.?
- ?It has to be perfect.?
- "I can?t do this.?
- ?I should?.?
- ?I need to?.?
- ?I will never be able to change.?
What are comfort zones?
It is natural and normal for human beings to drift toward comfort. Most of us return over and over again to what is familiar or routine, easily falling into comfortable habits that over time can create a sense of complacency and boredom ? essentially very little growth of ourselves, better known as entropy or decay. The Bigger Game examines the places where comfort zones can distract from what we want our life to be about. Comfort zones are neither ?good? or ?bad,? they are just comfort zones; because after all, we are just human. Here is the key question to ask: ?Is this comfort zone serving me and/or my Bigger Game or not serving me or my game?? There is no judgment attached to our comfort zones, but the key to a successful Bigger Game is to be aware of our comfort zones ? unexamined comfort zones can cost us our own success.
The Bigger Game1 refers to an innovative model based on the belief that we all hunger for a fulfilling life ? a life filled with meaning and purpose ? for ourselves and for the people around us.
Take Action
Comfort zones exist in every area in our lives. The key is to be aware of them and examine which comfort zones may not be serving our current goals. Which comfort zones are preventing you from creating change?
In order to determine the answers to these questions, first, explore your comfort zones. Then, determine the solution to feeling stuck in your routine. Are you willing to move beyond the known into the unknown? Is the change you desire worth the discomfort of leaving what is familiar? No one can answer these questions but you. Most importantly, never underestimate the power of your intuition ? what is your gut telling you?
Carolyn Rubenstein is the author of Perseverance: True Voices of Cancer Survivors , a book that profiles young adults who exemplify resilience in the face of adversity. At age 14, she started a non-profit organization, Carolyn's Compassionate Children, which today supports young adult cancer survivors through a number of initiatives, including financial aid for college. Now 24 years old, Carolyn is a graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Harvard University. In her free time she practices yoga and spends as much time as she can with her family, her friends, and her dog Lila Rose. Visit her blog, A Beautiful Ripple Effect, for fresh content and inspiring tools to help you turn knowledge into action and action into change.
1 Description of The Bigger Game used with permission from It?s All Made Up, Inc.
