The Comfort Zone ~

You’ve heard about it. You’ve seen it on TV. Maybe you already have one. Perhaps you want to get out of yours!

How can you finally break free and really become the person that you want to be? Do you really want to get out of your “Comfort Zone” ?... Really!

Are you truly ready for change and all that it will mean? Do you actually want what you affirm and visualize or is it just all talk or wishful thinking.

If so, at some point, you are going to have to get out of your Comfort Zone.
To do so means you WILL have to change… but when and how ?
How do you really feel about change? Is it positive or negative, fear inducing or exciting?

Change can be good for you! Change is good! Think about that! So get excited! You can even change how you feel about change. This visualization can help and you may just find your self taking action. Having goals that are truly meaningful for you and that excite you is a must. The anticipation of an exciting new reality will propel you forward and give you the courage and enthusiam you need to keep moving.

If you don’t feel excited, maybe you need to have bigger goals , the kind that will truly create a sense of excitement and anticipation, and give you the necessary enthusiasm you need to get you motivated, and start taking action towards their achievement.

Do not be concerned if you do not currently have the resources you feel are necessary to achieve what it is you want . Just begin it .

What does your Comfort Zone look and feel like to you. Where is it located? In what area or areas do you want or need to move forward with in your life. Can you see and feel and sense the outer edges , the horizon, the perimeter of your Comfort Zone.

How long have you been there? Too long? Maybe …way…. too long. Is there anyone there with you ? Who is it? What are they doing? Are they in a Comfort Zone too? What sort of influence do they have on you? What is it about you that keeps you in your Comfort Zone.

Take control of your self and your life and your destiny now. Use your imagination. You can change!

Get comfortable and relax. Close your eyes. Breathe in deeply. Breathe out again. Breathe in once again, and as you do, feel deeply peaceful, calm, and completely relaxed. Become aware, bring your mind and this awareness to your breath, as it enters and leaves your body.

Let go of any thoughts as they arise and gently return your awareness to your breathing.
Continue to relax and breathe in and out naturally, and as you do, feel a deep sense of peace flowing throughout your entire being. Let go of all of your thoughts and of the world around you and allow them to disappear.

Allow your thoughts to quietly drift away. Let them go like a light yellow flower blossom gently drifting downstream on a beautiful clear country stream . See and feel all the natural beauty of this peaceful place. Breathe in again and smell the freshness of the air. See how the water is lined with banks of emerald green grass and sheltererd by the graceful branches of tall majestic trees. See the shapes and shadows of the tree branches as they bend downwards towards the water . See the trees reflections and how they darken the colors of the water.

Hear the soft trickling sound of the clean clear water as it gently flows over and around the rocks, under a small white wooden bridge and onward towards a river out into an ocean of peace. Follow the current of your thoughts to this new peaceful quiet place. A place where you are now at peace and feel you belong.

Imagine that you are far above the earth and you are looking down at your self. Think about your life, your attitude, your behaviours and your habits. Zoom in. Zoom way in! Focus. What are you doing? Take your time and think about it. See yourself. Be honest with yourself. What does this overview teach you about you?

Are you in a Comfort Zone? What kind? Place a rectangular shaped fence around that Comfort Zone. Any kind of fence you like . Is it made out of wood or stone or metal? What color is it? Is it white, blue ,green or gold. This fence symbolically represents where you are today in your life, right now. This is your Comfort Zone.

Everything that you do, your thoughts, your emotions, your behaviours, your habits, your actions, your healthiness and your current level of skills and abilitites and knowledge are all parts of your Comfort Zone . So too, is your education, appearance, your self esteem, your self discipline, your beliefs, your income , your job and even where you live.

Everything that is a part of you and your current thinking patterns, in every area of your life, are all an aspect of your current zone of comfort. Everything that you think, feel and do is all contained inside this zone of comfort. It all feels familiar and safe.

Anything that you need to change about your self and your life or improve upon are are all contained inside your Comfort Zone. Is there anything that you want or need to change? To change you will need to think differently and act differently. You need to take action. You are now going to expand your Comfort Zone, in your mind, to allow change . You are now going to make room for change, and enable yourself to have the positive experiences that you desire in your life.

Make this real for you in what ever way you choose , in every way you can. See the things that you do that keep yourself stuck inside your Comfort Zone. Personalize it and be creative and fill in some of the details from your daily life and activities and your habitual thought patterns.

You are now going to create new empowering thought patterns, and new mental pictures, the kind of new thoughts and internal images, that will motivate you to think, act and feel differently and will truly motivate you to take action.

Next, think about some of the different kinds of changes that you want to happen in your life. Think carefully. Be very specific and make a list, write it all down . Come back to this list as often as you like. Feel free to make changes and additions or alterations. This is all part of the process of change.

Now, in your mind, look at the fence surrounding your Comfort Zone . You can expand it, make it bigger or if you like you can tear it down completely if you choose . See yourself climbing over that fence and moving forward. See yourself making a giant leap.

See your self successfully going on to do what it is that you want to do in your life. See yourself actually doing it. See your self really acheiving the goals from your list. See yourself successfully taking the action steps you need to take and doing the things you need to do to achieve these goals. Rehearse this over and over again in your minds eye. Visualize the end result that you desire.

See your self getting out of your Comfort Zone. How would that really feel? See yourself taking a risk. Imagine yourself doing all those new things and having what it is you want, achieving your goals. See your self really being the successful person you have always wanted to be. Feel how grateful you will be for all the new blessings that you will have in your life. What could you do then in your life ? You CAN do it. What would it feel like for you? Wouldn’t it feel great!

See it over and over again. Visualize the new you! Make it real for you. Be proud of yourself for climbing over that fence.

Have fun and play with different kinds of images, adding sounds or music. Anything is possible , after all…its your Comfort Zone , isn’t it?

You can make it any way you choose. You have in the past, now its time to change all that.

Imagine that your Comfort Zone looks like the inside of a room. Maybe it’s real, maybe its imaginary. Maybe it’s your living room or a work place or a setting some where, or a relationship. Maybe its a special kind of magical place in “Land of Comfort Zone”, a special magical place where change occurs, you get the idea.

Maybe you can’t find a door or a passageway out…look closer… look around . Look carefully. Maybe you only just think that. Maybe it’s not true. You’ll find a way out . It’s easier than you think! Look around again. There is a way out.

Maybe you just have’t seen it yet . Maybe it was there all along. Look for it, there is always a way out. Trust your inner guidance. Turn on the light of understanding to help you see. Do you see a switch?

Maybe someone is showing you a way out. A guide. Who is your guide? What does your guide look like ? Maybe you are much more than you think you are. Did someone once try to convince you otherwise? Who? Maybe they were in a Comfort Zone. Let go of all your old beliefs. Create new empowering beliefs.

Make a door to a room, make it colorful. Put a big sign on the inside of that door that reads. “I am now courageously stepping outside of my comfort zone”. Read it , Say it out loud! Read it again! Say it with power, passion and enthusiasm! Say it like you really mean it! This time you do!

Put a beautiful, antique ,ornate, gold colored frame around that sign .Then open that door and walk confidently through the doorway and outside into a brand new way of being .

What or who is outside waiting for you? What are you doing? Is it a new job or a new relationship with your soul mate, a new level of fitness or higher self esteem and greater confidence? Greater awareness and a more meaningful spiritual life.

Do you now have all the new skills and abilities you have always wanted? A higher income level? Do you own the house of your dreams? Are you now completely healthy and happy? What does your new life look like to you now? How does everything look to you outside your Comfort Zone now?

What is it that you truly want to be? How does it feel to be you now? Feel it. Begin it!

Each time that you walk out side this room, mentally see your self successfully taking all the actions, successfully doing all the things that you need to do to have the life you want to have. See yourself being the person that you want to be. This is very important. Repeat this as often as possible.

See yourself in that new setting, with a new job or in a different situation or in a new realtionship or with a different set of behaviours or a new attitude and having whatever it is that you want to have.

See yourself with the new characteristics, and new healthy thoughts and attributes and with all the new higher level of skills , abilities or education that you need. See your self with that new job or living in your new home or with the woman or man of your dreams.

See yourself with increased power, more concentration and focus and with much greater self disipline and self confidence and awareness that you ever imagined you could have.

Then add some interesting details to the picture. Add sensory images, sights, sounds and tastes etc. Make the picture sparkle and move and come alive. The possibilities are endless.

Do this with different kinds of images for different kinds of change that you want to create in your life. Do it as often as you like or need or until you find yourself taking action and seeing the positive results show up in your life. Repeat this process daily or as often as you can. Remember, it is important to enjoy doing this. It should never feel like work or a chore. Make it fun!

Choose a time when you are most relaxed. Just before going to bed or first thing in the morning are good times .Use your favorite meditation technique to relax and to prepare your mind to be receptive.

Be patient with yourself. Keep visualizing the end results you desire and then let it go and trust the universe to bring it about. Maybe something even better will occur. Perhaps you can add an affirmation as you continue with this process… “This or something better now occurs for the greatest good of all concerned”... Say it out loud with passion and emotion and conviction . Do it now.

As you leave your Comfort Zone, close the door behind you. Slam it if you like. Never look back. Be strong. Do not concern yourself about how these changes will occur. Trust that they will.

Once you have closed the door to your comfort zone, look forward and congratulate your self for leaving.

Look ahead now, in the distance, someone is walking towards you. See them. Who is it? The person is giving you a special gift, just for you.

Accept it and thank them. Open it up.

What is inside? Is it something that you need? Is it an object or a personal quality , a new way of thinking , an opportunity . Is it something you can use? Only you will know what it is.

Know and remember this… as you take this gift, understand that you are now outside of your Comfort Zone. Enjoy. .

What is it that is keeping you stuck inside your Comfort Zone? What can you do today to change and step outside?

What holds you back …fear… procrastination? ...not setting goals… not following through….lack of focus… listening to the negative opinions of others… diversions…giving up…. negative thinking and emotions … making excuses …feeling like a victim…not taking action everyday on your major purpose.

What moves you forward… focus… written goals… courage… decision… action… following through… positive thoughts and empowering emotions… reading books and learning from different media… incorporating new ideas and information into your life… trusting yourself and your inner guidance, supportive friends…loving and appreciating yourself.

See your self today taking action and being the successful person you want to be and doing the things you have always wanted to do. See it over and over again. Be the new you. You CAN do it!

What are you doing today to get out of your Comfort Zone?

I love when you said: “Once you have closed the door to your comfort zone, look forward and congratulate your self for leaving”

There are only a few things that make it difficult for me to make the necessary changes I have focused on..most are related to external resources. Though the one thing I can do anything about this moment is energy level.

And the area that changes that for me is making exercise my #1 focus until it is the routine, it once was.

I am so amazed what my (semi-recent) past level of working out did for my entire life.

Thank you for this thread. It was beautifully written.

It is easy to get hung up on all we are doing as being enough, especially if you happen to be around others in life who think discipline is a bad word.

Personally, discipline is music to my ears..

I have found some understandable excuses for mapping out the regimen I need to get into things the way I really want them with the gym and home exercises.

So NO MORE EXCUSES. TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO BABY-WORKOUTS AND DO THE REAL THING!

So again, thanks..(:

Here are some useful resources that can help us all move forward as we leave our Comfort Zone… books DVD and CD:

Stand up for your life…Cheryl Richardson

You can heal your life DVD ...Louise Hay

The power within you…Louise Hay

Born to win…Dorothy Jongward, Muriel James

The sedona method …Hale Dwoskin, Jack Canfield

The purpose of your life …Carol Adrienne

What to say to yourself when you talk to your self…Shad Helmstetter

The self talk solution… Shad Helmstetter

The power of your subconscious mind… Joseph Murphy

Discover the power within you… Eric Butterworth

Total self confidence … Dr. Joseph Murphy

Timing is everything… Dennis Waitley

The psychology of winning…Dennis Waitley

Staying OK… Amy bjork Harris

Maximum confidence CD… Jack Canfield

The success principles…Jack Canfield

Peak performance principles for high achievers…John R Noe

Pyscho-Cybernetics 2000…Bobbe Sommer, Maxwell Maltz

Visualzation…Adelaide Bry

Creative Visualization…Shakti Gawain

Creative Visualization…Melita Denning, Osborne Phillips

Intuition… Shakti Gawain

Write it down, make it happen…Harriet Anne Klauser

The secret of the ages…Robert Collier

The master key system…Charles Haanal

The secret DVD, CD, book… Rhonda Byrne

The miracle power of transcendental meditation…Norvel

Law of attraction…Gerry and Esther Hicks

Ask and it is given…Gerry and Esther Hicks

The intention experiment…Lynn Mctaggart

The millionaire course…Marc Allen

The type Z guide to success…Marc Allen

The answer…John Assaraf

Having it all…John Assaraf

Visualization for change…Patrick Fanning

Open your mind to prosperity…Catherine Ponder

The dynamic laws of prosperity…Catherine Ponder

The dynamic laws of prayer…Catherine Ponder

The prospering power of love…Catherine Ponder

the magic of believing… Claude Bristol

TNT, the power within you…Claude Bristol

Its your time… Joel Osteen

Finding your strength in difficult times… David Viscott

Thought power… Swami Sivananda

The law of success… Paramahansa Yogananda

Shambhala… Chogyam Trungpa

Mastery…Hazrat Inayat Khan

Edgar Cayce, on channeling your higher self…Henry Reed

Affrimations…Stewart Wilde

Your heart’s desire … Sonia Choquette

Trust your vibes…Sonia Choquette

Trust your vibes at work… Sonia Choquette

Divine intuition…Lynn Robinson

Breakthrough intuition…Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Intuition and beyond …Sharon A Klinger

Success through a positive mental attitude…W. Clement Stone

Think and grow rich…Napoleon Hill

You were born rich…Bob Proctor

The heart of the Buddhas teachings…Thich Nhat Hanh

Finding the quiet mind…Robert Elwood

Awaken the buddha within…Lama Suyra Das

Awaken to the sacred, Creating a personal spiritual life…Lama Suyra Das

Awaken the giant within…Anthony Robbins

Unlimited power…Anthony Robbins

The Vision board …Joyce Swartz

Lovingkindness…Sharon Salzberg

How to expand love…His Holiness the Dali Lama

In response to db…‘s post:

db, Thanks for all of those resources!

When I think of comfort zone and leaving it, I also think of the stages of change I had learned about when I was involved in a job and some schooling that was big on behavior change, 5-6 stages of change

Some studies add a 6th stage,I’ll post that when I locate it.

Those changes helped me with my hindsight understanding of “what took me so long” – ideas to change? And..also in the moment change->to see what area I might be hanging out —in too long, or need to process through..
I also enjoyed another way to view this which Lee posted. I’ll locate that and post it soon.

And here are some threads that may offer a bit too.

1

2

and possibly this, 3
I’ll post more as I find them.

Oh yes let’s not forget,

“Feel the fear and do it anyway”... Susan Jeffers, 20th anniversary edition

Thanks db – I love visualisations and getting out of my comfort zone is my current focus … I see the door, the knob is a bit stuck :-O

Good for you aftab. We are all stepping outside of our current comfort zones. Visualization is a very useful tool for change…

I posted this on another thread, but I think it’s relevant here so I’m gonna post it on here and a couple of other threads.

——————————

The foundation of success is self-confidence, so how does one become more self confident? Self-confidence comes from knowing and living by our values. Each of us has our own set of values with respect to each of life’s areas of activity: Marriage/Family, Career/Professional, Social/Political, Religious/Spiritual. Becoming clear about our values in each of these areas give us a stable base from which to act and act with confidence. It’s the “self” in self-confidence. Know thyself! We are eternal beings, we are not our thoughts, we are not our emotions, we are not our bodies. We are the awareness of those things – they are a part of us, but they are not us. Our minds, bodies, and emotions are our tools and gauges. We use our bodies to interact with the world around us. Emotions; anger, fear, hurt, joy are all indicators lights on our dash board. Our thoughts are the software and operating system. We all have the ability to change our software. We can’t always choose what happens to us in this life but we ALWAYS choose our response to what happens us. We are what we think we are. What we think – we are! I spend much of my time in this life walking around like a scrambled egg. Steven Covey mentioned something about a clock and a compass, I can’t remember exactly what he said, but the image of a clock and compass come to mind right now. Knowing our values gets our clocks and our compasses working together. Putting our values under the microscope helps us understand ourselves better. When we understand ourselves better we can act with more confidence. We are less afraid to be ourselves. We communicate more openly, more honestly, and more freely. We are more willing to stand up for ourselves. We are more free to disclose which builds stronger relationships. When we understand our values in each area of our lives we live a more balanced life. A balanced life is more productive and fulfilling because the areas of our life reinforce each other. You can see how our intellectual life might have an affect on your spiritual life or social life for example. Today you might be more focused on spiritual matters, but that doesn’t mean you should forget about your intellectual development. I’ve seen more than one listing of life areas but here are a few to consider: spiritual, intellectual, psychological, social, professional, recreational, and physical.

Okay now, where was I going with all of this? Oh yeah, we can use this information to help us create effective affirmations – affirmations that will resonate with you on a personal level. An affirmation is far effective if it reaches you on an emotional level. Also, nothing I know of is more effective in reprogramming your thoughts than affirmations. Sleep tapes are a great tool we can use. It’s kinda’ like affirmations are the master switch at the breaker box. It’s square one. When we fall off the bandwagon the easiest way to get back on is through affirmations. It’s the one great habit that feeds the rest of our positive habits. To become more fulfilled people we need to build better habits in all areas of our lives. To create a real life-long habit takes a little effort, but once we engrain a habit into our lives over a period of about six months the positive habit is far more likely to become a permanent life long habit.

Well, there I’ve gone and done it again. Me and my rambling posts…

thank you db for this thread ,i love the visualisation and its helping me look for a solution to something that im struggling with ,i hope this will make sense . I have 3 kids and a 3 bed house ,i have front bedroom ,daughter 20 has little one and at the moment lads are in back bedroom ,they are 22 and 17 and dont get on very well .Before christmas my eldest lad had dining room as a bedroom and this meant our kitchen was closed in and our living room was very cluttered with 3 peice suite,dining table and 4 chairs,tv,sterio,3 full bookshelves,big dresser,and was a vey untidy ,depressing room – this believe it or not was my “comfort zone “ i would sit in there saying all the nagative affirmations that were keeping me stuck – my homes a tip ,its too small, I hate living here ,how can i sort it out when sons asleep till diner time so im trying to be quiet ( with depression if i dont get started early doing things its even harder to get going )I spend months sitting in there stuck in this bleak pit of dark thoughts .Then when we were trying to decide where to put a christmas tree my son offered to go back in with younger brother over christmas – it made a huge difference and was honestly the day depression really showed it could life .I varnished dining room floor pine,painted walls cream, polished pine furniure ,putup pretty curtains cream floral,lit candles and itlooks lovely .Then i cleaned front room ,putup cream curtains ,cream and red throws ,christmas decorations and polished evertthing ,and went on to kitchen to defrost freezer ,clean out cupboards etc – all this from someone who could barely get dressed in the morning ,i hope im managing to convey how much these physical changes in rooms got me out of my dis- comfort zone .Now my son would like his own space ,which i agree with butidread going down again into that feeling that was in the front room when it was so squashed and every where so closed in – the dining room is in between kitchen and front room so it blocks them off when doors are shut .He is applying to join the marines and may be leaving home soon so i want him to have a room of his own while hes here but i dread going back mentally to where i was

Please can anyone offer any ideas ,i offered himmy roomand i would sleep on the couch but he feels akward with that idea ,i could partition my room into 2 but i cant do it and cantpay someone ,heneeds a door he can shut as younger son borrows his stuff and spoils it without asking .

Im going to paint living room cream today and have a try out moving furniture .My daughter suggested makingmy bedroom into a sancuary as i have lovely c d s ,candles,angels,rocking chair,crochet throws etc up there ,then if i feelim slipping down go up to my room and give myself some t l c .

Im just so scared of going down again as i have never been that low in my life and it lasted months ,i was reading through anold dairy and same thing happened last year .I really want to stay on this path of stepping stones out of that gloom as i can feel hope ,optimism,joy returning but dont want to be selfish over the space in our home ,im lying awake at night worrying over this ,please can anyone help ,love flowergirl

Remember how your positive affirmations gave you the boost to take care of your many projects? Your positive mindset gives you peace and strength to meet challenges and use your immense creative skills.
I like the idea of making your bedroom your inner sanctuary & refuge. My house is ajumble with boxes and piles right now, but I know it’s temporary and that helps so much.
I believe the man’s name was Frankel, who said he survived being in a concentration camp by finding beauty in something everyday. If he could see out to a blue sky, if he could hear a birds’ song, etc. he was grateful and would focus on that. – which reminds me – Gratitude is a powerful force.
Go to dbs’ Zen Garden
Dissatisfaction – inspiration – positive change… Love, Jan

In response to jancydat’s post:

I love the views of Victor Frankel!

I don’t believe getting out of the comfort zone has to be so uncomfortable.

It ‘simply’ is turning a corner, and asking the questions:

What did I say is important to me, and am I doing things/thinking things that compliment my journey? Am I doing it with the joy that goes with having the freedom to create?

hi jancydat,thank you for your lovely post,and Laurie also,you are both very wise .I am gratefull i have a home full of people and am with my kids and if the rooms are back to how they were it does not mean my thinking will be the same ,love flowergirl

Hugs and Smiles to you! We all need to be nudged to take care of ourselves by staying true in our hearts and believe in the abundance of the universe. Me too, Jan

I easily leave my comfort zone to achieve my lifes purpose

I am full of courage and confidence

I feel more and more confident each and every moment

I make choices , I make decisions

I take action, I feel great today

I am moving forward taking action and living the life I choose

I visualize success in all that I do

My courage is strong I am moving along

I expect to succeed

I am now succeeding

I follow my passion