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Do you ever say to yourself, This is just me…I am the way I am and will never change…or do you think, change is too hard or too drastic and I don’t know how to change even if I wanted…or does the challenge of change feel so great that you couldn’t be bothered? In all those scenarios whereby you feel stuck and uncertain represents you staying in the safety of your COMFORT ZONE.
Your comfort zone is the space of familiarity, that which you know and the home of conditioned behavior. Yes it feels like who you are, and yes it feels like you cannot be any different, but when you understand that your conditioned behavior is simply a makeup of your neurological pathways and inner circuitry based on your perceptions and decisions of every experience you have had, then you can begin to make some serious changes, easily!
So conditioned behavior is only a result of how your brain is wired. Conditioned behavior is automatic and habitual and most of the time we have complete lack of awareness of our conditioned self. But, the key to growth is to know that every time we challenge or break habitual or instinctual behavior, our brains change and therefore we change. So when we put ourselves into a natural growth cycle of challenge then we are in a constant state of growth and change.
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| Oak Tree Growing |
This is exactly how nature functions. Nature is never stagnant or still, nature is in a constant life- death- life cycle where changes are happening in every moment. The natural acceptance and change in nature is what adds to its beauty and magnificence. Seeing that we are nature’s human beings, we function in the same way…the only limitation we hold is the limits and boundary conditions we create in the mind…the comfort zone.
It is only the limitations we hold in our belief system which keep us small and safe. All the I cant’s, the I wont’s, the shoulds the onedays, and the maybe somedays. But in that place of safety we miss out on what happens beyond the tip of our comfort zone…life.
Think of a time you were in a state of fear...think of the stories and the feelings the mind was creating… think of a time when you challenged that reality and pushed past it…remember how it was so much easier than anticipated? Do you remember the empowerment and sense of achievement you felt after? Imagine you were able to constantly live in that state? You would never tolerate mediocrity…You would not feel satisfied staying small…You would be able to keep your word and your integrity…you would forever take risks and embrace opportunities and best of all you would constantly be in a state of TRUTH…living the life you were born to live and reaping the rewards of acting on your true instinct with no fear or limitations.
Change happens when we realize that we are staying small because the thought of change is too painful. We are a society based on avoiding pain and will seek to avoid pain more then seek pleasure, therefore the pain in changing feels too great, too scary and too overwhelming.
But when we note and realize what we are missing out on and how our comfort zone is holding us back and actually causing us more pain, then we begin to feel compelled to change. In fact, the greater the leverage to change, the more our current situation begins to represent pain, and the place beyond our comfort zone begins to feel compellingly pleasurable. This enthusiasm then becomes the energy and the momentum to leap beyond your boundaries and jump out of your comfort zone. Face your pain, push past the mind and its limits and begin to experience true joy and bliss which was once only possible in your mind’s eye.
I remember hearing a great line by one of my Yoga instructors…she said, The postures that you find the most difficult are the ones you need the most. Each time I embraced this attitude with those difficult postures I would go deeper, balance more and be able to do the things I never thought my body could do…and each time I did, the satisfaction and the pride I experienced built my confidence and self worth. I began to like the person outside of my comfort zone, I began to enjoy the place of uncertainty and challenge.
So create yourself a challenge and with end of 2012 fast approaching, there is no better time than RIGHT NOW. Create a 30 or 60 day challenge to do something you have wanted to do but haven’t yet had the courage or commitment to exit the world of your comfort zone. Do a gym challenge, a yoga challenge, a positive mindset challenge, a nutrition challenge- whatever will help you get to your goals, put into action right now.Two great tip to staying focused are:
1. Create a way that you can measure your daily results. Create a wall chart where you can tick off each day or start a journal to monitor your step by step daily achievements. Challenge the mind, tempting you to give up, go outside your comfort zone- remember each time you challenge yourself and move beyond your mind’s limitations you grow.
2. Define clearly your Compelling WHY or your intention for challenging yourself- what will you achieve once you have completed your challenge? How will you feel? What will be present in your life? How will you celebrate? Write your compelling why and the answers to those questions and read and reread and reread and reread and reread to keep you moving forwards. J
You were born to grow , evolve, change and transform so identify the limits of your comfort zone, identify what possibilities await you on the other side of those limitations, define your compelling why and do at least one thing every day to challenge yourself!
Enjoy!
To your truth and freedom,
Cheryne
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