Comfort Zones: To Flee, Or Not To Flee?

“You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” 
― Roy T. Bennett

“Life always begins with one step outside of your comfort zone.” 
― Shannon L. Alder

“People who have their dreams fulfilled are those who go outside their comfort zones to fight for their dreams.” 
― Clement Ogedegbe

...and my favorite...

"It wasn't like standing still was bein' neutral. Standing still was going backwards. Standing still was IMPOSSIBLE." 
- Quincy Jones 
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There are hundreds of quotes out there that talk about the necessity, the importance, and the value of breaking out of your comfort zone. And it's all true; all of it. To stay in your comfort zone is to stagnate, to get stuck, to stall.

But I'm going to take the other side of this for a quick minute; to totally diminish the importance of a comfort zone is oversimplifying things. Comfort zones provide just that - comfort.

Definition(s):

1. A state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.2  The easing or alleviation of a person's feelings of grief or distress.

Breaking out of your comfort zone, making changes, embracing new things, all takes a level of courage and determination and risk. Those traits come easier to some people versus others, and also come easier in certain topics versus others.

Back to the larger journey theme; one cannot start a new journey without taking a step into the new, starting a new direction. The overall journey of our lives is all about taking new steps. When we were babies, this is meant literally, as we learned to crawl, then to stand leaning, then taking a step, and probably falling. Then, we kept trying, and trying, and trying, until we finally took out first step. The from there, it was exploring, and learning, and growing, and making connections. But during all of that, we had our comfort zones. Our parents, our cribs and beds, our favorite blanket or stuffed animals. All that exploring and learning made us tired, and sometimes hurt when we fell, and we cried for our comfort zones. And that was all natural instinct.

And of course, as we became older, our steps become more abstract and more complicated and with bigger and deeper factors and dependencies and emotions. The risks become bigger, our choices become more numerous. Rewards and consequences also become more abstract and more complicated. We now have past experiences to draw on, which sometimes is a good thing and other times not so much. We now have other people and resources with opinions and ideas and advice. And all of this will continue to be true as we continue to grow older and wiser.

So, yes, it is important to leave your comfort zone and embark on new journeys - that much is very true. Sometimes those new journeys lead to new and wonderful places. Other times, you end up just plain lost; unsure of where you are and how you got there. Or, sometimes, the journey takes much longer than you hoped, or wanted. And in those times, you need to stop, and rest, and reset. And that's where the importance of a comfort zone comes in.

We all still have a comfort zone, and we need that comfort zone. In the success and failures of our past steps, we've carved and formed our comfort zones out of and away from reality, our place to escape and feel at ease. A place where we can tune out and replenish and rest. A place where we our ourselves, uninhibited and without judgement and pressure. That place serves a purpose. It is said that we must:

“The truer you are to yourself, the greater your gifts will manifest themselves.” ― Tiffany L. Jackson

"To know your future you must know your past..."

“We are all 'right' if we are being truly ourselves.... that is the best we can be in each moment, until we learn more...” ― Jay Woodman

The truth (in my opinion) is based in my belief that the truth lies closer to the middle than it does to the extremes. Is breaking out of your comfort zone important?  Absolutely. But is having your comfort zone important as well?  Absolutely again. The key is in the balance. The key is taking your risks and embarking on new paths while always remembering who you are, what is it you need to accomplish for yourself, and knowing that you will land on your feet, within your comfort zone. Because as you head down your road, your path will change and shape your comfort zone, and help you to become the full you that you were meant to be.

“Minds are like flowers, they only open when the time is right.”
― Stephen Richards

"Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home." 
- Matsuo Basho