Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
I’ve never cared too much for change. I have no shame admitting that I love stability and comfort. Don’t we all to a certain degree? Whether it’s the comfort of hearing your mother’s voice, or the contentment of walking into your cozy home, or the gratification of having a steady paycheck, the truth is we all crave comfort and favor the familiar. It’s normal to want to be comfortable, the problem occurs when we start to become complacent.
Complacency happens when we start to use our comforts as excuses to stay in our comfort zone. It causes us to become lukewarm, lethargic, and lackadaisical toward what we know the Lord is calling us to do. The truth is God is less concerned with your comfort level than He is with your calling. Therefore, He will put you in situations where you have to grow out of your comfort zone. It is the only way that you will be able to accomplish His purpose and plan for your life. So how can you position yourself to step more outside of your comfort zone?
Count the costs.
Think about yourself a year from now, three years from now, five years from now, even ten years from now. How would you feel about yourself if your life stayed the exact same way that it is right now? How would you feel about it? How would you feel about yourself? How would you feel about the things that you’ve accomplished? What would you have missed out on by staying in your comfort zone? Determine what’s at stake if things stay the same.
Embrace the pain.
In order to step out of your comfort zone, the pain of the staying the same has to be greater than the pain of change otherwise, you won’t be motivated to take action. Instead of shying away from the pain embrace it, knowing that going through it will lead to your growth.
Take a baby step.
The best way to make long-lasting change is to go at a pace you can sustain by taking small baby steps. What small step can you take that will encourage you to keep moving forward? There’s no such thing as quick-fixes. Allow yourself to get accustomed to the change. As you get acclimated to the change process, you’ll notice that taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone becomes easier and easier.
I know you’ve heard it before and I’m going to say it again: Nothing grows inside your comfort zone. In order to become who God has designed you to be and do what He is calling you to do, you’re going to have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That is why I’ve created the free Savor Your Season Lifestyle Guide to help you make the most out of the season you’re in. Click the button below to download your free guide.
