You’ve probably heard it before, but great things never come from living in your comfort zone. Sure, it may be easy to settle in life that is pleasant and fulfilling, but what about the life that would challenge you and allow you to get closer to achieving those dreams that seemed far-fetched or impossible? A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but only to stay in it temporarily until the next wave of courage enters yourself to continue striving for an even greater challenge, goal, or dream.
The older I become, the more I believe that many individuals settle for their lives. They may be extremely happy and at peace with life and their decisions, which is great, but I always wonder what would have happened if they had swallowed whatever fear they had in the past and taken a leap of faith. Where would they be now? One of the biggest fears I’ve had since I was in high school is settling for a life in which I am comfortable and every day I think about what I can do to make sure this doesn’t happen.
I used to let my fear of the unknown and anxiety stop me from being social, speaking up or even making new friends. However, recently, I’ve managed to gather every bit of courage I have actually embraced the idea of change. Instinctively, my thoughts would always center around what could go wrong, but now I try to get myself about all the ways they could go right. Hear me out, I know this isn’t easy, and I couldn’t have changed my mindset without the help of my family and friends, but what a game changer this has been.
For example, never did I think I would be writing for my Her Campus chapter because the thought of expressing my opinions and ideas for others to read was extremely scary, but here I am! I still have doubts about every article I write, but each time I choose to push my fear aside and just go for it. As fearful I was in the beginning, I couldn’t be more thankful that I was able to push myself to embrace being uncomfortable and scared, because it has opened up a world of opportunities, friendships, and networking opportunities that I’m so grateful for. This experience has even encouraged me to create my own blog in the future, which the younger me only dreamed of.
So, I’m here to remind you that although being happy in your comfort zone is a beautiful thing, it should not be your last destination. Push yourself. Believe in yourself. Encourage yourself. The road to your passions and dreams only stops when you allow yourself to stay in one place. Keep traveling – as long as you believe in yourself nothing can stop you.