Ignite Your Life By Getting Outside Your Comfort Zone

Does your soul have big dreams?

I love the quote that the Universe wouldn’t give us dreams that we couldn’t change. So why is it so difficult sometimes to achieve them?

And as you look around, you see many other people who are far removed from what they originally envisioned their lives to be.

So why is this? And more importantly, how did it happen?

The truth is, we all want to succeed. The hard part is taking action. Success is earned, not given. So if you’re ready to ignite your life and achieve your dreams, you need to step outside of your comfort zone.

How Your Comfort Zone Kills Your Dreams

How many times have you wanted to read one more chapter, or played one more game of solitaire?

Have you ever logged into Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest to quickly check something, and discovered an hour had gone by?

When we get too comfortable, we start to live in our comfort bubble. At first we may feel happy, satisfied, and safe. Eventually we become bored and uninspired. But by then, it’s difficult to make the changes.

And often we forget what our dreams were.

So are you ready

Setting Proper Goals Is Key for Your Success

The first step is to properly identify what your goal is going to be. We talked about this in a prior post on setting SMART goals.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-sensitive.

You want to clearly define what success is to you, and see where you want to end up. What will you look like? How will it feel when you’re there?

Then you can start planning backwards identifying smaller goals and steps to achieve them.

One quick example is if you wanted to run a marathon. If you’ve never even run down the block, you would want to set up such as walking a 5K, and then running a 5K.

And you would want to set up a training program. There are many resources available and one of your steps could be researching them.

Three Things You Need for Your Roadmap

First, you need a clear vision of where you’re going to end up. You don’t know how you’re going to get there. And you may be surprised by the path you take.

Next, you need to break those goals into smaller, achievable milestones. There are some smaller goals you know you will need to hit. For example, if you want to run the marathon, you need to know when to submit the application.

Finally, you need to identify the next step you need to take to get to that first milestone. Sometimes this is the most difficult step to take. But you’re going to do it because you are important.

Face Those Fears In the Moment

As I mentioned, taking the first step is often the most difficult.

Why?

Because you’re leaving behind someplace very comfortable for the unknown. And that is scary.

Or is it?

Remember, you are the one who defines what your fears are.

Replace Negativity with Positive Power

First, try to adjust your mindset that you’re not feeling fear. You’re feeling excited for the new path you’re on.

Next, keep yourself busy so you don’t have tie to feel any fear.

And if you’re taking small enough steps, even your brain will go, “Yeah, ok, we can do that.”

These steps will build up your self-confidence and courage.

If you start to stumble, focus on what really matters. You know your ultimate destination, and your next destination. Attach yourself to the feeling of confidence and joy that you will feel when you achieve it.

Saying No Will Get You to YES!

Having boundaries in your life is extremely important if you’re going to ignite your soul. Otherwise, you’re spending all your time living someone else’s life instead of your own.

This is often one of the most difficult hurdles because we want to be helpful, and we want people to like us.

Enlist a friend to be your accountability partner. Have them help you set up boundaries so you’re not overcommitting yourself.

And as a bonus, you can use them as your excuse if needed.

Remember to reward yourself when you start accomplishing these subtle skills. The right rewards will help reinforce your goals and your dreams. So identify ones that are meaningful to you.

Staying Motivated When It’s Tough

I’m going to share one of my favorite Zig Ziglar quotes:

People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.

Yes, you will have to recommit regularly. And the rewards you choose are helpful extrinsic motivators.

And set yourself up for success. If you want to exercise daily, make sure you have the clothes set aside the night before.

If you want to eat healthier, don’t buy food that isn’t aligned with your plan.

But ultimately, you need to connect with your inner Why.

Taking 5 minutes a day to visualize your life after you’ve achieved your goal is one way to emotionally connect to your soul.

Journaling your dreams is another way to connect. If you’re feeling stressed out, or you feel you’re slipping back into a bad habit, try to find a quiet place where you can write or meditate for a few minutes.

Often, we just need to get away from the trigger that’s right in front of us in order to make the smarter choice.

My Final Thoughts

Bend, don’t break. As you take small steps, the unfamiliar will become familiar, and you will be getting out of your comfort zone.

It’s like choosing a different path to walk or drive. It’s odd at first, but then becomes comforting.

There is absolutely no limit to what you can achieve. You just have to get out of your own way and be open to the possibilities.

Start to look forward to your failures. Remember that they’re stepping stones to get you closer to your dreams.

You are a bird in a cage. And you’re the only one with the key. It’s time to open the cage and fly.

Keep challenging yourself to truly ignite your soul with happiness.