I didn’t know his name and I’d never seen him before.
The heat🔥, the movement, and the group experience seemed to be a lot for him. Despite his struggles and discomfort, he stayed in the hot room and completed what he had set out to do. He sat silent and still for most of the class, breathing, doing what he could, and finished the entire 60 minutes. ⏱️

I was taken aback by his bravery. That experience was weeks ago, and he has not left my mind.

I’ve been thinking about the courage🦁 it takes to change, to step out of your comfort zone, face your fear, and do something different. There’s something seemingly safe about the familiar. Most people don’t realize the comfort zone is one of the most dangerous places there is. It’s habitual, limiting, and unconscious. Yet so many of us hang out there our entire lives.

You’ve established habits, schedules,🗓️ patterns, and routines that shape your way of thinking and being. Add to it all the things you were taught and the subconscious beliefs that reinforce what you do, how you think, how you feel, and what you believe you’re capable of.

These habits and patterns give you the illusion of mastery and control, of predictability and safety. Sure, it’s an illusion, but it makes you feel capable and significant. Pushing beyond the comfort zone is like stretching a muscle beyond capacity. And I got to witness this man do that in such a profound way.

It’s no wonder people stay so tightly bound to the familiar. Trying something new or doing things differently shakes things up. It can evoke fear, and uncertainty. If you’re paying attention, it gets you in touch with deeper levels of emotions you have about yourself and it’s a great way to expose your beliefs systems. You’ll likely face feelings of self-doubt and insecurity. It’ll shake you up and squeeze out those fears and beliefs. Imposter Syndrome is classic at this point, believing you’ll be exposed for the fraud you fear yourself to be.

But maybe you’re being called to something more…

Maybe you’re realizing the tight constraints of your comfort zone and you don’t want to waste this gift of life.

Maybe your ready to have some courage to change.

Here are a few points to ponder.

• Are you playing safe, hiding out in the dugout of familiarity?
• How often do challenge yourself to try something new?

What happens when you do?

• When was the last time you stepped into the unknown and allowed yourself to experience the uncertainty?
• How tightly are you bound to your habits, routines, and patterns?

What is this costing you?

What if these patterns are working against you?

What if those belief systems are just that… B.S.?!?

Here’s your chance to practice your tools!

Self – Awareness:

• Pay attention to your habits and routines.
• How well are they serving you?
• Have you gotten complacent with your commodities of Time, Energy, and Effort?
• Are you allowing fear or unconscious patterns to dictate your day?
• How much are you allowing other people’s voices to determine what you should or shouldn’t be doing?

Self – Define:

• What’s important to you?
• How do you want your life to look?
• What do you value and is your life aligned with these values?

Self – Permission –

• What do you want to do, try, explore, or achieve?
• What are you ready to say “yes” to?
• If fear weren’t an issue, what would you do?
• If you had the courage to change, what would you do?

Self – Responsibility –

• What’s one step you can take, big or small?
• Write that down.
• Take it one step further and put a date beside it of when you’ll take action.
• Now… pat yourself on the back for having the courage to step out of your comfort zone and having the courage to change!

I’m super proud of you!
If you need any support, clarification, or a voice of encouragement, reach to me. I’ll help you.

“Misunderstood – Rewriting The Rules of Dignity and Self Respect” is a great resource if you want to learn more about these powerful S.O.S. (Sense of Self) Tools.