From now on I will step out of my comfort zone

‘We can do difficult things.’ It’s one of my favorite quotes from the book Untamed by Glennon Doyle. When I read the sentence, I felt my gut just roar along. A statement somewhere so unpleasant, yet so poignant.

We can also do difficult things. In fact: sometimes we have to do difficult things. Unpleasant things. Exciting things. Should-I-really-have-to-do-that things. If we don’t do that, there’s nothing to learn. And if there’s nothing left to learn, aren’t you already half-dead? Difficult feelings are like a doorbell: you’re not waiting for them, but they often bring you something valuable.

And so I developed the mantra in my head. ‘Do you feel resistance to something, Kiek? Then that’s where your growth lies.’ And just by forming that mantra, something already happened in my head. I started to flirt with growth. Sometimes doing things half against my will. Also because I’ve been fascinated for years by the space outside your comfort zone. Some say it’s the place ‘where the magic happens’, others call it growth, ask a third and they will say: terrifying.

I’m in the phase where I’m starting to see the benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone. If you live bravely, your whole life will be a series of hundreds of times dying and being reborn. With the goal not to stay the same, but to live in such a way that every day, year, moment, relationship, conversation, and crisis is the material used to become a truer, more beautiful version of yourself.

But how do you do that, keep challenging yourself? For me, it started with a kind of awareness. I realized that I was hanging a bit in my safe bubble. Then came the itch to change. The itch turned into a little flame. And as it goes with passion projects: if you really believe in something, then there’s no way back.

So dear Amayzers, some loyal friends who have been following us for years: in the coming months, I want to take you along in my Out of My Comfort Zone Project. I’m ready for it. I’m going to do things that I initially don’t want to do. Things I don’t feel like doing. Things I’m scared of. And of course, I’ll take you along on this adventure. See you tomorrow, challenge 1!

Image: @atelier.mabel