Many of us find ourselves sitting on the brink of adulthood feeling confused – unsure of what our next step should be. Maybe you just graduated from college, or maybe you’re just starting college. Maybe you skipped the whole school thing and are trying to find a job. Maybe you find yourself in a rut and need to decide what your next move is. Wherever we are, we all have something in common: the ability to leave our comfort zones or to push ourselves. As young adults, we still have so much to learn about ourselves, as well as the world around us. It is imperative that we make a point to do all we can to explore our limits and find what we are capable of. Leaving one’s comfort zone is new, exciting and scary. It can leave you feeling perplexed and relieved. The outcomes that result from navigating new territories in life can’t be calculated; however they will leave you with a better understanding of yourself and prepare you for obstacles you are sure to face later in life.

My personal experience with choosing to push myself ended up impacting my life more than I could have ever imagined. After high school I wasn’t motivated to jump right into college, so I took a year off to work abroad. My parents were not on board at first and everyone surrounding me seemed to be puzzled by my decision. The thought of straying from the norm was scary at first, but I stuck with it because I knew it was right for me. As my friends were receiving acceptance letters from their dream schools I found myself still trying to figure out which country I wanted to travel to. I soon found a program in Australia that peaked my interest. This period was exciting, stressful and scary all at the same time. My flight was scheduled to leave in one month’s time. It was my first time on a plane, as well as leaving the country and I was doing it alone. During the 7-month duration of my time in Australia, I found myself experiencing things I never could have fathomed and learning more about myself than I ever thought was possible. This scary jump out of the little bubble I grew up in ended up being the best decision I’ve ever made.

Straying from your comfort zone can mean so many different things. Take a gap year to give yourself time to try new things or figure out what your next move is. Take some time off and travel solo. Transfer to a new college that may be a better fit for you. Enroll in new courses. Change your major. Move somewhere new. Apply for a job that allows you to familiarize yourself with a new skillset. No matter how big or small your jump away from familiarity is you are sure to reap the benefits of choosing to explore yourself.