Growth Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone

 

Have you ever wished to discover new talents and  passions? 

Have you ever thought of reaching your next level of growth?

Have you ever dreamt of becoming  a better version of yourself? 

If your answer is “YES” to all the questions above, what you need to do, first and foremost, is just to push yourself out of your comfort zone. As said by Maya Angelou, an acclaimed American author and a poet - "If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be" -  you can hardly ever realise our hidden talents and capabilities until you  step out of your comfort zones, and try new things. However, it is, of course, easier said than done, to leave your comfort zone: it can be more or less challenging, intimidating, stressful, and uncomfortable when you attempt to take up new things for the first time. You should, nevertheless, try to get comfortable with being uncomfortable if you aspire to thrive and level up to your premium versions - since new challenges, along with new learning points and opportunities, can shape you into a stronger person in such ways as follows. 

First of all, you can discover new talents and passions that you have not noticed you had. When you venture outside familiarity and try something new, you are normally required to utilize your untapped knowledge and skill-set in order to address challenges and obstacles encountered along the way.Thus, you can find out a new area of work that you are passionate about, and have a knack for.   

Secondly, once you are familiar with being unfamiliar, you can become adaptable to change, and would be willing to learn new skills and acquire new knowledge. Having a drive to learn and improve could help you develop fresh perspectives, and discover new ways of doing things - which are pivotal to optimize efficiency and productivity. Furthermore, being able to conquer your fears and overcome challenges, you are more likely to see new challenges as new opportunities to demonstrate your capabilities.  

Thirdly, you can expand your social and professional network through creating meaningful and long-lasting relationships outside your sphere of comfort. Once you start doing something unfamiliar or different, you are more likely to meet and communicate with new people with diverse backgrounds and personality traits. Since new connections can open new doors, those different individuals you are connected with could possibly bring new opportunities - that you might otherwise not have access to - for your personal development and career growth. 

Fourth, pushing your boundaries can boost your self- confidence and self-esteem as you become more assertive, knowledgeable, and skilled - after you have accomplished things you didn’t assume you were capable of until you leave your comfort zone. As it is said “Success breeds more success”, each milestone you have achieved could instill confidence in you to make another breakthrough happen. At the end of the day, you would possibly be cognizant of the fact that there is more in you than you think.

All in all, it is true that it may seem overwhelming to step into the unknown. It is, nonetheless, worthwhile to embark on a journey of change and growth since you can gain a rewarding experience, which can, in turn, mold you into a better and stronger version of yourself. 

 

This article was originally featured in the Sunday Special section of The Global New Light of Myanmar published on 6 September 2020. Click on the link below to read it in the newspaper.

https://cdn.myanmarwebdesigner.com/gnlm/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/6_Sept_20_gnlm.pdf