5 Rituals to Help Break Out of Your Comfort Zone

The reason I want you to focus on stepping out of your comfort zone is this: staying in your comfort zone is the surest way to never grow. By staying in your comfort zone you actually increase the chances of being unhappy and falling into a rut. You will never fully live up to your potential, and while hiding in your comfort zone, you withhold your true greatness from the world. I know deep inside you have things you want to achieve, things that will excite you, entertain you and keep you feeling alive; but all of those great things are outside your comfort zone. Who we are as people largely comes down to our daily rituals. The habits we have that shape us. If you want to change your life, you must change your daily rituals. Let's look at 5 rituals we can start implementing on a daily basis to help you step out of your comfort zone. 

Ritual One- Say Yes

Saying 'NO' all the time is kind of like hitting your snooze button on the alarm. It gets you nowhere, and it is a bad habit. Just like all other habits, the habit of saying no, can be replaced with a good habit, saying 'YES'. Make it a daily ritual to say yes to more things. This simple word holds a great deal of power when it comes to getting out of your comfort zone. Every time you say yes to trying a new food, hobby or travel destination, you are saying yes to getting out of that comfort zone. I am not expecting you to say yes to everything. That would just be a silly request and potentially unsafe (common sense is necessary here). I am however asking you to be aware of how often you say 'NO' and I urge you to commit, to saying 'YES'. 

Ritual Two - Physical Exercise

The reason why it is important to have a great daily ritual for your body is because it promotes your overall self-confidence. Fear is mostly physical. If you exercise your body it is scientifically proven that you feel better. You will be  healthier and look healthier. With a stronger body you will feel more courage to take on life and you feel better able to [protect yourself. There are two reasons why I think physical exercise  should be a crucial part of a daily routine. The physical movement helps me defeat that annoying little voice in my mind that attempts to limit my potential. Also, it keeps my whole body in motion which helps to  promote  productive days. I am sure you know the saying 'a body in motion stays in motion'. It is very true. If you sit on the couch all day you will feel lazy, fatigued and sluggish. If you work out you feel powerful, energized and confident. 

Ritual Three- Mental Exercise

When you are really good at something or know more about a subject than others, are afraid to take action or speak up on that topic? Probably not. The reason why mental exercise is so important is because the more you learn the more you know! And the more knowledge you gain, the more confident you will be. If you have a daily ritual of reading uplifting and helpful material you will build your confidence day by day. The stronger you make your mind the more power you have to take on the world. 

Ritual Four- Stop Negative Self Talk

Negative beliefs are built through various experiences such as being told that you can't or having failed at something in your past. Regardless how they came about, it is time to take action and break your negative patterns. You see, the way we communicate with ourselves on a daily basis is what shapes a lot of our inner beliefs. If you keep calling yourself stupid or repeat that you are not capable of doing something, then you will quickly begin believing that this in fact is your reality which will in turn result in lower confidence and a tendency to stay within your comfort zone. If you don't like a channel on the TV you change it, with one click of a button. If you don't like a radio station you can simply tune it out. The same goes for negative self talk. Make sure that you no longer tolerate speaking negatively to yourself. Only you can control what stories you tell yourself everyday. If you want to gain confidence stop saying you are not confident, and already you are on the right track. 

Ritual Five- Take Action

Now, this last ritual might seem scary if you are afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone. However, it is vital because without taking action and stepping out of your comfort zone you will never follow through and therefore never get the results you seek. It is necessary to make it a daily ritual to be productive and take action. Try new experiences, meet new people, or try new foods. Whatever you must do to get out of your comfort zone. The most important part is taking action. The more you do this, the more it will become a habit which will in turn result in an easier and less scary journey outside of your comfort zone. 

Final Words

Patience and persistence will bring you success. Don't give up when things get hard and be kind with yourself while you try implementing these new daily rituals. Understand that this takes time and practice, and sometimes involves setbacks which is a normal part of the experience. Remember that getting out of your comfort zone will be a journey so make sure you enjoy every step of the way. Enjoy the new you and a more exciting life, one where you reach your fullest potential so you can show us all your greatness. 

Thanks for reading,  Raphael Huwiler