Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

For many years my husband, Drey, has been asking me to go skydiving with him. Every time he asked me, I looked at him like he had 3 horns on his head. “Dude, are you crazy? You want me to jump out of a plane with a little fabric attached to my back and hope I make it to the ground alive? What sense does that make? First, we have kids, second, people die from doing things like this!”

Fast forwarding a couple years, I was casually talking to him and made the mistake of asking what he wanted to do for his birthday. With no hesitation, he said, “Skydive!” I’m not sure what cup of courage I was drinking that night, but I agreed. The next day, I scheduled the jump and decided there was no turning back. Super scared, nervous and uncertain, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and live life a little. My comfort zone is safe for me, but if I step out of my comfort zone, what will I experience? I realized at that moment, I would never know, unless I actually took that step.

5 Reasons We Can’t Come Out Of Our Comfort Zone

1. Fear

Fear has the potential to stop everything we do in life. There is fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of what others think of you and fear of disappointment. It’s easy for us to allow fear to hinder us and make us stagnant, but overcoming fear has the potential to broaden our horizon.

2. It’s Comfortable

It’s like wearing those old, fluffy, fuzzy pajamas with the big hole in it. They are super comfortable, but your husband hates them. The pajamas are not sexy, you get that constant draft from the big hole and if company should come over, you have to run and change. These old, holey pajamas are what you are used to because they are comfortable, but they don’t benefit you in any other way.

3. We Don’t Like Change

Change can be scary, but in order to grow, change is necessary. If nothing changes, things will begin to get boring. Think about the person you were ten years ago, now think about the person you are today. You would not be who you are today, if you did not decide to make a few changes. Embrace the transformation, it will make a better you.

4. Requires Self-Reflection

There are reasons for us being afraid to step out of our comfort zone and we need to self reflect to see what those reasons really are. Self-reflection is required to be able to know what change is needed to actually be able to come out of the comfort zone.

5. It Requires Work

Who really wants to do work? I’ll answer that question for you….No One!! Putting in work is a requirement for making a better you. Proclaiming what you want out of life is great, but those words need to have action behind them. Faith without works is dead. (James 2:26) Most opportunities are not going to fall into your lap, you have to go chase them and make them happen for you.

Ready For The Jump

It’s the day of the jump and we pull up to the skydiving place. I hear all the plane engines revving up. I see a huge, open blue sky and I am immediately filled with fear. What was I thinking…I’m gone die today. We walk in the building and the jumping instructors are excited to see us. They tell us we are about to experience the thrill of our life. My instructor told me, after I jumped, I would have a whole new outlook on fear.

I thought about his statement, turned around, grabbed Drey’s hand and said a prayer. After I was done, I looked at my instructor and said, “Let’s do this!” One of my favorite quotes is “Everything you want is on the OTHER side of fear.” (I am unsure of the author) I was full of fear, but I was ready to experience this jump.

Once I allowed myself to step out of my comfort zone, I experienced the most breath taking view that I had ever seen in my life. I was flying above the clouds, I was gliding and flipping in mid air and observing all of God’s beauty first hand. It was a feeling I can’t even fully explain. The air was hitting my face, my arms and legs were being pushed by the wind and I was experiencing views that airplane windows could never give.

Jumping out the plane was so exhilarating

After I landed on the ground, I gave my instructor a high five and realized he was right. This experience was life changing. I was on an adrenaline rush for about 3 days after the jump. Skydiving is an experience Drey and I will always be able to share and definitely something I would do again. Coming out of my comfort zone took me to greater heights, literally.

Skydiving is extreme, so I’m not telling you to go jump out of a plane to come out of your comfort zone. But, I am telling you to face fears and do things that will allow you to grow and experience more things in life. You may need to make career moves, relationship changes, reach fitness goals, become a better mom or an overall well rounded woman. We all have dreams and goals, so don’t let your comfort zone hold you back. Start being comfortable with being uncomfortable; that’s when you will start seeing the change and getting the results you desire.

Why stand on the ground and look up to your dreams, when you can soar above them and look down on all you have accomplished.

Comfort zones are safe and feel good, but coming out of that comfort zone can bring you experiences you never knew were possible and can show you views that will take your breath away. Embrace being uncomfortable and take yourself to the next level.

💕Love Always, Donna.💕