It’s called a comfort zone because it feels really relaxing to stay in it, but it’s not always a fuzzy, warm feeling in there. You might just start to feel trapped because you’re following the same routines and you’re not living to your highest potential. Are you stuck in your comfort zone? Here are 15 signs to look for so you can start breaking out of it.
1. You never feel ready.
You might say you want to start a business but you’re not ready because you don’t have enough money. Or, maybe you don’t feel ready to get into a relationship because you’ve got too much going on. Stop with the excuses and ask yourself what you really want. Don’t you think it’s worth jumping in? You’re never going to be 100% ready for anything in life, and that’s okay!
2. You’re afraid of making mistakes.
One of the most common reasons why you’re stuck in your comfort zone is that you’re terrified of messing up or doing something wrong. You don’t want to risk failure, so you’d rather stick around in your current life and way of being. How long will that really make you happy?
3. You’re stuck in a negative thought cycle.
You can’t get out of your comfort zone if you’re negative about it. You’re keeping yourself stuck if you’re always telling yourself that you’ll never succeed at your goals or you’ll never change your life. It’s not doing you any favors. You have to let go of your limiting beliefs so you can accomplish big things.
4. You’re not sharing your goals with others.
Hey, we all need some help sometimes. If you’re zipping your lips about what dreams you want to achieve, you could be missing out on valuable networking opportunities that could help you step out of your comfort zone and make things happen. Plus, your friends and family could offer valuable support and encouragement to keep you motivated.
5. You’re surrounding yourself with negative people.
It’s hard to stay positive if your support system is filled with negativity. Whenever you get excited about an idea, they’ll shoot you down and make you feel like it’s not worth going for what you want. You’ve got to protect your energy from negative people. Don’t let them get into your head!
6. You’re chasing short-term gratification.
You might be looking for short-term gratification to get you through stressful days, such as putting off your tasks in favor of having drinks at the bar or hitting the snooze button instead of taking time before work to plan for your day. Doing too much of this can prevent you from keeping your eyes on the long-term prize.
7. You hate feeling discomfort.
No one wants to feel uncomfortable or bring themselves pain, but a little bit is necessary to help you change your life in a positive way. Hey, if you quit your job to chase your dream, you’re going to feel the pinch for a bit, but what about what you stand to gain by persevering?
8. You’re afraid of change.
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It’s natural to be afraid of switching things up in life. If they’re are working for you, you might be scared to rock the boat to get what you really want. However, change isn’t necessarily negative. Even if it turns out to be, it’s still a fantastic learning opportunity, so you can’t lose.
9. You avoid taking risks.
You might be set in your ways. Your current lifestyle is working for you, but it’s comfortable. Nothing new or exciting can happen because you don’t want to take any risks to make it happen. Unfortunately, if you don’t take risks, you don’t get a shot at raking in the big rewards.
10. You’re waiting to be rescued.
Maybe you’re always waiting for things to happen for you instead of realizing that you’ve got to make them happen. You can’t expect your life to change when you meet someone new or someone influential notices you. You could be waiting in your comfort zone forever!
11. You’re “too busy.”
You might be putting off chasing your perfect life because you feel you don’t have enough time to dedicate to it. The danger of this is that you could be putting your dreams on ice forever and letting time slip by. You only get one life, so you’re better off making the most of it.
12. You have zero confidence.
You have to trust yourself and your abilities to take a chance or make a change. If you don’t think you’re good enough, you’re never going to have the confidence to jump out of your comfort zone. Success and happiness is an inside job.
13. You can’t say “no.”
You need to have boundaries in place so you can work on achieving your goals and getting out of your comfort zone. If you’re always taking on other people’s issues and dramas, you’re wasting all your resources and will have nothing for yourself at the end of the day.
14. You avoid new ideas or experiences.
It’s easy to get comfortable with certain ideas and ways of doing things, especially if there’s nothing wrong with them. But, blocking new ideas and other perspectives is a red flag that you’re stuck in a comfort zone mentally. You’re not allowing yourself to grow.
15. You’re bored by your life.
Maybe you don’t feel passionate about anything right now. You’re bored with everything and feel like you’re going through the motions to get through the day. This is a huge sign that you’re stuck in a comfort zone because you need to bring more excitement into your life and feel like you’re doing something meaningful.
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