Comfortable. You could say comfort is the thief of success. If you never push yourself over the line in the sand you have created then how is growth supposed to happen?

In summer 2015, I pulled up my Facebook feed and saw copious amounts of study abroad pictures Italy, Spain, etc. I told myself I wanted to do that, see that, and experience that. But it was a drop in the big bucket labeled “I should do that”. The semester started and a great study abroad opportunity came to my plate. I didn’t have time to “Negative Nancy” the decision I jumped straight into the opportunity. This choice was very unlike me, not overthought and much more I was making a commitment to travel across the world. Needless to say, I was 5,770 miles out of my comfort zone this summer and it was the best experience of my life. That’s when it hit me: when an experience arrives that you normally wouldn’t see yourself doing, you should take it.

Comfort is all of the things that you take for granted. For example, knowing where you are at all times or knowing how to react in a situation because you have done it over and over again. Every new opportunity that comes your way begins with a big leap of faith. Challenging yourself to break through the doubt that you have created is the hardest part of moving over the boundary. With that leap you’re hopping from your known comfort zone to the unknown. The unknown, although a thought to be scary place, is where new ideas and interactions are traded. These ideas and interactions can be accepted or declined, they can challenge you or you can learn your strengths by them. In the unknown or the cease of your comfort zone you sink or you swim but both ways you grow.

I am not talking anything outrageous. You don’t have to seek out the most drastic life change. I am speaking about those opportunities that you have been given in your lifetime that you have passed up; when the thought of foreign territory kept you on your side of the line in the sand. At those times, you were wary of the unknown, the change, the challenge of where it would put you in your life, etc. Only you know the real reason holding you back. Next time, don’t stand down to the challenge. Although very cliché and very over used, I am a firm believer in the words Wayne Gretzky spoke when he said “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take”. Step over the line, take the shot, and accept the challenge in all of its bads, goods and uglies because you are bound to come out a better person.