The comfort zone. It’s safe, even beautiful. You know what you are doing, and the surprises are minimal, but what are you missing? What exists beyond your comfort zone and is it worth the risk?
The answer is a resounding yes!
This week in Learning to Lead LIVE on Clubhouse, we unpacked how to know when you are in your comfort zone and how to step, even leap, out of it to new possibilities you never knew existed. Here are a few highlights from the discussion:
How to know you are in your comfort zone
It can be hard to identify so find ways to check in with yourself often. Pay attention to how you feel, physically and mentally. Are you bored? Do you lack energy and feel depleted at the end of your day? Do you feel like you are on autopilot most of the time?
Assess how you spend time. A helpful tool is to take a few minutes and map how you spend an average day, every activity, down to the hour. What do you notice? Are you spending time on things that matter to you? Are you spending time learning or working on yourself or your goals, do you have any big goals?
There are zones you will move through when you step out of your comfort zone, and it’s important to know as you grow you will continue to move through these zones as you establish “new” comfort zones. The zones are:
Comfort Zone: stagnation with less creative thinking, dealing with minutia, solving the same problems over and over with little challenge
Fear Zone: lack of self-confidence, finding a lot of excuses not to move forward, affected by the opinions of others
Learning Zone: dealing with challenges and problems that may feel new and create, acquire new skills, extends your comfort zone
Growth Zone: finding purpose, living dreams, setting new goals and conquering objectives
There are 3 commons ways you may step out of your comfort zone:
Forced on you: like suddenly losing a job. What’s important in this experience is how you respond to the situation.
Someone helps you: like a teacher, and friend, or a mentor. They can be a catalyst for you and inspire you to grow.
Trigger it yourself: You may see something, read something, or inspiration may stick and you choose to make a change.
Give yourself space. Avoid the feeling to rush through the zones and moving out of the discomfort of starting something new. You may be used to being the expert and having all the answers. As you expand and grow you will no longer be the expert and that will be uncomfortable! Growth only occurs in a state of discomfort.
How do you move out of your comfort zone:
Start learning new things: read books, take classes, listen to clubhouse or podcasts, try new things that you are interested in personally and professionally. You may discover you have new skills and talents.
Take breaks: this can be a long vacation, retreat, or simply getting out of your normal environment. Take a walk, go for a hike, step outside and move and see what inspiration may strike.
Find new communities: connect with other like-minded people who challenge you to think differently. Remember, you are the average of the 5 people you spend most of your time with. Surround yourself with people you admire and support each other’s growth.
This discussion was powerful and included great tips, resources, and personal experiences. I highly recommend listening to the replay on Clubhouse.
Quote of the Week:
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone!
Resources
Tim Urbane shared a powerful visual on the past and the future and how many different threads are available to you
An overview of the types of zones you move through when stepping out of your comfort zone
Why comfort zone will ruin your life - a TedX talk by Bill Eckstrom
Events
The 2022 Virtual California Conference for Women - March 2, 2022: Renew. Reconnect. Re-ignite. Inspiration, Motivation, and Connection
WORLD WOMAN HOUR : 60 Women : 60 Stories : 60 Minutes - March 8, 2022: 60 women x 60 x stories x 60 ways to lead a socially powered movement to inspire one million women and girls to follow their dreams and ambition.
Camp Victore - April 2022: an all-inclusive, intimate in-person workshop, salon, creative bootcamp, exclusive retreat, and wholly transformational ass-kicking experience that is designed to take you to the next level in your life and business.
Learning to Lead LIVE
The full replay of the Learning to Lead LIVE discussion is available now on clubhouse.
Learning to Lead will be ON BREAK next week! We will return on Saturday, February 26 @ 9:30 am PST. The topic will be announced on Wednesday (February 23) so be sure to subscribe!
Networking & Job Openings
RN Case Manager at Dameron Hospital - contact Tamara White
ESPN Technology roles at multiple levels and locations
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