Top 10 Ways to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
Most of us tend to reside in our comfort zones. But to seek growth, everyone has to step out at some point. New experiences can be scary, but once overcome you realize you have bigger opportunities than you thought, which can be very rewarding in the end. If you are one who seeks self-improvement, look no further onto this list.
This is probably the fastest way to get out of your comfort zone. Simply look up a math website or Google math problems you find unfamiliar, and try solving them, even if the result is wrong. If you want to go further, proofs are your friend.
If math isn't your strongest subject, go back to the basics and work your way up. Remember that math isn't taught like other subjects such as history. You can learn about the Peloponnesian War without any prior knowledge of other historical events, but with math, you have to build your skills to understand more advanced topics.
You may not enjoy it at first, but your mind will be better off in the long term.
This is something I cannot stress enough, especially if you are in your late teens or a young adult. This was my first part-time job, and it was pretty stressful at first. Everything was fast-paced, and some people were jerks, but it helped me reconsider how I interact with people. Now I'm grateful that having this job made me taste a part of the real world.
It could be a city or in your own neighborhood. Wander for a bit, but be cautious of dangerous places. If you happen to get lost while heading to a destination, at least you become more familiar with where you're heading.
You'll immerse yourself in different cultures and meet different people. I wouldn't recommend it if you are financially unstable, though.
If you find yourself socially awkward, then look no further. Just go to a local place and be around unfamiliar people. Complimenting their looks or gifting something to them for the sake of kindness is a good start.
Don't wait for them to converse with you. Initiate a conversation and ask them questions, even if you sound awkward. In the end, it's a good buildup for your social skills.
Fear is probably the most difficult thing to deal with, but it can be overcome. Facing your fears helps you know yourself better and seek growth.
Do you have a fear of heights? Why not stand on a high place? Do you fear public speaking? Why not converse with other people instead? Do you fear being in bodies of water? Why not try forcing yourself to swim in a shallow swimming pool, then a beach, and/or a lake?
Baby steps do wonders. Discovering humor in these fears seems to be the most effective way to deal with anxiety, at least in my experience. Alternatively, having someone to encourage you helps a lot in my case.
You don't have to go to a gym to work out. A handful of exercises can be done at home, or more if you have gym equipment. If you're new, start by doing 10 pushups, 10 sit-ups, and/or 10 squats a day. If you're fit enough, you can try diamond pushups, pull-ups, or pike pushups.
Did you know that working out benefits your mental health?
This may be hard for some, although people's tastes can change over time. A good way to do this is by combining the food with one of the foods you like. It's a not-so-serious item but a fun challenge to consider.
If you're into music, why not try experimenting with instruments? Studies show that learning an instrument can improve overall cognitive performance. I am glad to have experienced learning how to play the piano and a little bit of the drums.
Philosophical questions are one of the best examples of tough questions. Examples would be:
Would you be immortal or live a normal human life?
If a bird flies inside a truck, does the weight of the truck change?
Does free will exist, or are all our actions predetermined?
How can you prove that you know something, or how do you know that you know?
A great opportunity to travel to other countries and other benefits. Training and boot camp may be hard, but it's a good choice if you have no idea what to do in the future.
Not only can you seek out your local community and help contribute to a project, but you also put yourself around interesting people who are trying to better their lives. In turn, this helps you be more confident around people.
I've done this before and saw many introverts doing it as well. If they can, you can too.
Spanish, French, German, or Portuguese are easy languages to learn from an English speaker's standpoint. Although difficulty might vary depending on your native language.
If you're a beginner cook, try basic recipes like scrambled eggs or pasta. Those recipes are both cheap and provide good nutrition. Optionally, you can proceed to more complex recipes once you get more comfortable with the cooking equipment.
Or for a week. Social media can be very addicting. Often, we have urges to check our notifications every few minutes. Being offline can give peace of mind, but it's a hard task for some.
I thought this was one of the easiest things to do, but in fact, it's literally the opposite. You have to keep consistency with the characters and the plot, not to mention making the sentences connect and avoiding plot holes.
I've encountered writer's block in numerous stories and forgot my main characters' personalities and the plotline. I've found that taking notes and making outlines for your story really helps, especially while writing my draft. One of the hardest obstacles is that you need perseverance, at least for me.
This might be insignificant compared to the other activities, but you may find a new music genre that you like.
Preferably take a free course on any subject. Or, if you have the guts, take a course in a subject you think is your major weakness.
Not only can you make your garden look beautiful, but you can also save money by growing food. It's one of the most comfortable activities you can do since it's associated with reduced anxiety and depression.
Gardening seems like a fun hobby to pick up. You can also eat the vegetables you grow, so it's both rewarding and relaxing.
Drawing helps develop your artistic skills. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just allow those happy little accidents to come.
This may require sheer dedication depending on the world record you want to break, but it is worth it if you have the consistent will.
It's a small step out of your comfort zone, but it doesn't hurt to make someone's day better.
It takes some fine motor skills, but you'll end up with less waste and buy fewer clothes.
I've repaired and modified some of my clothes in the past. I especially remember stitching up a small hole in a t-shirt I was wearing once.
They're pretty satisfying once you figure those brain teasers out.
You need some grit to solve a Rubik's Cube, but the outcome is sweeter than most activities if you're a puzzle solver.