We all have a comfort zone. Things we know we love to do and how to do well. Things we don't mind doing with other people watching. For most people stepping out of that comfort zone isn't hard. Some people love the thrill it gives them, while others enjoy taking part in something new and unknown. But there are others who are scared to leave that zone. Who fear the unknown or fear judgement from others who may be watching you.
I'm one of those people. But I'm stepping out of my comfort zone, overcoming a fear and so can you.
This summer my cousin told my sister she wanted to run in the RunDisney Princess half Marathon. My sister loved the idea, got one of her friends to join her and even my mom join in to run in the 5K during race weekend. Being the Disney lover that I am, I couldn't turn down a trip to return home. It has been over a year since I moved back home after finishing my DCP and I missed everything about Orlando.
So I did the unthinkable. I signed up to run the 5K as well. This is coming from a girl who doesn't run much....at all actually. And this scared me. This is something new to me but I know I need to add new things into my life. Staying in my comfort zone is not going to take me to the places I'd love to go one day.
I'm the type of person who likes going to the gym when no-one is around so that I don't have people watching. The Princess Marathon weekend pulls in thousands of people to Disney. How am I going to run knowing I'm being watched? What if people are judging me for how slow I may be at times? These are questions that keep running through my mind as the race gets closer and closer. But with that fear comes the thrill of what taking part in a RunDisney race brings (I'll be writing about my race and that weekend after it happens). And I'm not going to let that fear run my life for me anymore. Plus, I've heard that a lot of the people do these races because of how fun they are.
Stepping out from our comfort zones is one of the hardest things to do. It's why I started to see a personal trainer. He's helping me step out of my comfort zone at the gym and teaching me other workouts. And I'm loving it. I feel great after working with him.
Once you decide that you don't want the fear of the unknown to control you, it can't. It's not going to happen all at once but by slowly adding or doing things you wouldn't normally do, the fear goes away. And it opens up so many new worlds. The little bubble of comfort will always be there for you to welcome you home but there is a large world out there and you never know what you may find or where your path will lead you if you don't step outside of that bubble for just a little bit.
You can do it. Just have some faith. And know that others have been here too. That you are not the first and nor will you be the last person to go through having a hard time breaking out of your comfort zone.
