The comfort zone, it’s a place over 99% of us like to spend our time.

And there’s nothing wrong with staying in your comfort zone from time to time. It’s an area where we can engage in routine behaviours that have predictable results. It provides us with a sense of security that we all crave. But don’t get stagnant in there.

Before We Go Any Further Excellence Addiction Team!

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Before We Get Started…

I hope you all are psyched about getting into this comfort zone challenge today! I think it’s going to help a lot of people. It definitely helped me when I did it for the first time.

Before we get into it though, I wanted to share this TED talk I found by Matt Cutts on trying new things. In it he encourages us to try new things, have the courage to make the changes we want in life, and the importance of steping outside of our comfort zones.

It’s like 3 minutes, so give it a watch before reading what I have to say below!

The Downside of the Comfort Zone

If you spend all your time in the comfort zone, you’ll restrict your ability to grow. Use this comfort zone challenge to kick your butt out of your comfort zone. After all, how many extraordinary people do you think spent their entire lives in their comfort zones?

You can’t expect to improve yourself or your life if you continually do the same things. If you want different results, you need to do different things! Literally, nobody who excelled in life has spent their entire life in their comfort zone. It was even shown back in the early 1900s by the scientists Yerkes and Dodson that to maximize performance, we may even need slightly elevated levels of anxiety!

What then separates those individuals who excel and develop a broad array of skills from those who don’t? It’s their willingness to push themselves out of their comfort zone. Think about it. If you’re perfectly fine with the things you do now and never strive to try new things, obviously you won’t develop new skills.

Finding ways to get out of your comfort zone is how you up-skill yourself and crush those fears that are holding you back. This is exactly why I developed the comfort zone challenge. To help people like you find ways to get out of your comfort zone and level-up!

Benefits of Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

There are tons of benefits that you’ll experience as a result of getting out of your comfort zone.

You’ll get better at facing problems and new situations by coming up with creative solutions. You’ve typically got to exit the comfort zone to begin flexing those creativity muscles.

You’ll be better able to communicate with people, even in uncomfortable and difficult situations.

You’ll learn how to better deal with change, and that’s a big one. The only thing that never changes about life, is that things continually change. By forcing yourself out of your comfort zone and shaking your life up a little bit here and there, you’ll learn how to manage and cope with these changes.

Finally, and one of the things you’ll notice almost immediately is how your improvement skyrockets. Though the challenges you face never get easier, in fact, they may get harder, you will become better equipped to deal with them!

Don’t Go Too Far Out of Your Comfort Zone

You might be surprised by this, considering what you just read above. But getting too far outside the comfort zone can actually be bad for you. You just have to find that sweet spot. Enough anxiety to keep you on your toes, but not so much that you lose focus and your performance suffers.

Besides, it’s nice to have that safe place to return to. Your comfort zone can be a place where you calm yourself and feel safe after a day of stepping out of it.

So don’t be afraid to venture out of it. But also be sure that you can safely return to it if you ever need to!

The Comfort Zone Challenge

That was a rather long intro to what was supposed to be a brief discussion of your comfort zone. But now you’ve definitely got a good grasp of what it is, as well as the benefits and pitfalls.

Now I want to introduce you to exactly what the comfort zone challenge is.

In the comfort zone challenge, you will pick a task to complete every day for as long as you’d like from the list below. I’ve grouped them into different categories. Try to select an equal amount from each category is possible. Or, better yet, identify where your weaknesses are and chose tasks from that category to push yourself!

Some people like to do every task on this list. Others have done a 30-day challenge using the tasks below. So I don’t really have an exact length suggestion. Do what you think work best for you. But at the very least, aim to do at least one task a day for at least 14 days. If you’re feeling a little more ambitious, then either do this challenge for a longer length of time or do more than one task a day!

The Comfort Zone Challenge Task List

Be OK Being Different Comfort Zone Challenges

+ Lie down on the ground in public for about 30 seconds. Then just get up and continue on as if nothing happened. This will definitely challenge you to be comfortable with being different, how many people have you seen do this after all?

+ As you drive around, crank your music and at every stoplight try to become the center of attention with your in-car dance moves! Can’t say I’ve ever tried this one, but I’ll definitely keep it on my radar.

+ Next time you go to a restaurant ask for something that you don’t see on the menu. You may be met with some strange faces, but there’s no harm in asking right?

+ Head on over to your local book store and leave some post-it note messages in some of the books for future readers. I haven’t personally done this, but I know someone who has. They said it was a neat experience. They got some weird looks, but they also impacted the lives of a few people, even if only for a few moments.

+ Go out and get involved in a photo shoot. It takes a surprising amount of comfort to be able to pose naturally in front of the camera. I definitely felt this way at first.

+ Attend a costume party and make sure you go all out on your costume!

+ Go to a karaoke bar and sing your heart out. It might be a big enough challenge to get up there on stage for a number of people. So if you want the extra challenge get loud up there!

+ Show some of your best moves on the dancefloor. If you’re already a good dancer, this one might not even be an issue for you. So try some new moves you haven’t mastered yet if you’ve already got some dancefloor swagger. If you’re too nervous to get out in front of people, start by having a dance-off in front of your mirror.

+ Go to a thrift store, buy a ridiculous outfit, and spend the day in it. This will inevitably get you some interesting looks. But that’s the point of this comfort zone challenge. To be comfortable being seen as different.

Be Comfortable Around Others Comfort Zone Challenges

+ Try having a difficult conversation with someone. I know it’s tough, and it may feel a little awkward. But that’s the whole point of this comfort zone challenge. To get you attempting to expose yourself to these things to make them LESS awkward.

+ Approach someone who intimidates you and give them a compliment. Often I’ve found that we build other people up in our minds to be more intimidating than they truly are for a variety of different reasons. They’re people too, just like you.

+ Reach out and reconnect with an old friend from your past. Don’t let time kill the bond you once had.

+ Tell someone important how much you care about them. Call a family member or someone else who is important to you in your life and tell them how much you love them.

+ Tell a joke or a long-story to another person. It can be hard to be the center of attention for extended periods of time, especially in large groups. But it is an essential skill to becoming a good speaker and this challenge can help with that.

+ Give your TRUE and HONEST opinion on something when asked, instead of a canned safe one. I don’t know how many times I’ve asked others for opinions and received responses like “oh yea I think it looks good”. I know half the time people just are too scared to provide criticism. Which is typically more frustrating than the criticism itself would have been.

+ Strike up a conversation with a stranger. I know this won’t be for everyone. But you learn a lot from talking to different kinds of people. So I encourage you to give this one a try on multiple occasions.

+ Attend a Meetup group. This is a great way to get comfortable around other people. Basically exposing yourself to the very thing that makes you anxious. Let me tell you this, the most successful people are commonly surrounded by others. So if you want to be successful, you should try to get used to this.

+ Invite a co-worker you don’t know well to lunch to get to know them better. A variation of this comfort zone challenge could be to take a complete stranger out to lunch and listen to their story. I’ve heard of individuals asking homeless people to lunch, and the perspectives you might gain from speaking with someone who has struggled through so much is likely very different from the perspectives you currently hold.

+ Stand up for yourself. This one is pretty straight forward, don’t be a push-over. Nobody got to the top by letting others push them there.

+ Ask for constructive criticism at work. Feedback is a great way to learn and grow, and when you ask superiors, they are often happy to provide it because they want to see you learn and grow as well. Your success can be a collaborative effort in this sense.

+ Ask for a raise. Definitely not an easy challenge. I’d only advise doing this if you think that you deserve it because you could end up in a tight spot. However, if you’re working hard and think you’re deserving of a raise, have the confidence to ask for it. Organizations value their valuable employees. Don’t hesitate to show that you know your worth.

+ Write 5 cards to important people in your life and tell them why they mean so much to you. You’ll make their day and be working on this comfort zone challenge at the same time! Work your way up to telling these people in person face-to-face how much they mean to you.

+ Be vulnerable and open with someone else close to you. Tell someone your biggest fear, regret or desire. This isn’t easy for a lot of people. We often engage with people close to us on a daily basis, but rarely are we brave enough to disclose this type of information. Don’t be afraid to open up to others.

+ Ask someone who you think is “out of your league” out on a date. Take a shot! What’s the harm in that? Regardless of the result, you’ll have taken a big step toward being more comfortable with reaching out to other people and trying to seize opportunities!

+ Say no! I’ve seen so many people say yes to things they don’t like doing out of guilt or fear of saying no to someone. If you want to keep improving, sometimes you need to put yourself first and focus on what you want. You can’t be a people pleaser 100% of the time!

+ Reach out to 5 of your idols on social media. Be normal, but also see if you’re able to get one of them to respond to you! Again, these are people just like you who often enjoy making social connections. Just because they seem to be on a pedestal doesn’t mean you can’t interact with them like you would with anyone else. Who knows, they might even follow you back!

+ Give a non-generic response to someone. Next time someone asks you how you are, for example, respond by saying you’re doing great or fantastic or that you’re having a rough day, instead of just saying “good”.

Shaking Up Your Life Comfort Zone Challenges

+ Send someone in your life flowers for no reason at all.

+ Crash a wedding that you’re not invited to. Don’t disturb anything or ruin anybody’s day. Just try to have a good time and meet new people!

+ Give out free hugs to the public! Drop a little dose of positivity into your community.

+ Try a new coffee place in town or go somewhere new every time you go out to eat. Or try a new type of food the next time you go out to eat with someone.

+ Set your alarm for 10 minutes earlier. Have a plan and get up and do something a little extra with that extra time. See what you can accomplish in those 10 minutes or simply enjoy not rushing to get out the door in the morning on your way to work.

+ Rent a tandem bike with a friend. Or do something else that you can think of that’s spontaneous and wacky! Like zip-lining, or go dining in the dark! That would be pretty cool.

+ Watch a new movie you’ve never seen before. Or hop onto your Netflix account and watch a new show or a documentary that you wouldn’t normally select for yourself. You never know what you might stumble across.

+ Take a new way home from work. Or go somewhere that you’ve never been, or somewhere that you’ve always wanted to go! That would be a ton of fun and I’m willing to bet that you’d see some pretty fascinating things. The world is full of them, especially when you step outside the comfort zone!

+ Tackle one of your fears. We all have them, most of us live our lives avoiding them. Take this comfort zone challenge seriously and commit to facing up to at least one of your fears. Whatever it may be!

+ Take your friend or significant other out on a surprise outing like a picnic. Just because it would be a nice gesture and would be a great change of pace for you!

+ Start anonymously leaving compliments around for people to find as they go about their day.

+ Have a day where you’re extra-active! Go do some exercise. Get outside for a nice walk. Go for a run through the park. If the weather is poor head over to your local gym. If you already exercise regularly, try a different type of exercise.

+ Clean up your space. This could actually do most of us a lot of good. Our lives are so cluttered with so much accumulated stuff there’s not much space to do much of anything anymore. Make some space for you to actually get some stuff done and be productive!

+ Don’t always pick the safest choice. I know I’ve been guilty of this at times. Sometimes we take the safe choice and decide to think small because we’re scared to take a shot at something bigger. This comfort zone challenge can be your excuse to think big, step outside of what’s safe for a change of pace.

Gain Something New Comfort Zone Challenges

+ Sign up for a public speaking event. Public speaking is a pretty crucial skill for success, and being able to verbally please an audience will undoubtedly serve you well as you climb your ladder.

+ Take a new fitness class you’ve always wanted to try. Or begin training for a physical event like a marathon or a tough mudder. Not only will you be stepping out of your comfort zone here a little bit, but you’ll be doing something healthy. It’s a win-win!

+ Raise money for a charity. I’ve always loved the phrase that “we can better our own lives through bettering the lives of others”. I can’t think of a better way to do this than giving your time and efforts to charitable organizations.

+ Make a new recipe. It never hurts to be able to cook delicious and/or healthy meals. It’s a valuable skill that can benefit you individually, or that you can use to benefit entire groups.

+ Take an improvisation class. Learn to go with the flow and work on the fly. It’s inevitable that sometimes in your life you will have to improvise, so why not practice?

+ Take a class at a college or university that you’ve always been interested in. I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to sit in on a philosophy course. I might do this one myself as I move forward.

+ Begin learning a new instrument. This is one that can be both challenging and fun. Especially as you learn some songs and begin playing for the enjoyment of you and your friends.

+ Begin learning a new language! This is a great way to change things up and keep your brain agile as you challenge your mental health. So go to the app store and download Duolingo, pick the language you want to learn and get to it!

+ Make a snap decision. Making quick-snap decisions can be surprisingly difficult. But sometimes life calls for you to make these quick choices. So learning how to do this may be uncomfortable, but learning how to make decisions quickly instead of continually weighing the different options is an important skill for you to mold.

+ Consider and learn about a point of view which contrasts your own. It’s not always fun to consider views which contrast our own. However, we can learn a lot from these views. We can come to better understand each other. I’d encourage you to give this one a shot.

+ Say YES more often. Sometimes we like to say no to things because we think we’re underqualified or not good enough. Stop doubting yourself. Sometimes you have to learn things on the go. Say yes to assignments, news careers, new activities. Sometimes these opportunities only come around once. So don’t miss out on them.

+ Volunteer Somewhere New. You can gain a lot from giving back to others. Depending on where you volunteer, you may even gain some valuable skills and connections. Don’t underestimate the benefit of dedicating some of your time to others. It may be tough to step outside the comfort of your regular routine, but you won’t regret it.

Be Comfortable with Yourself Comfort Zone Challenges

+ Begin writing or publishing material. You can do this in a format like a private journal or publishing blog posts and content across social media platforms like I’m doing here. It’s difficult to share our thoughts and feelings in front of others, especially when people are so quick to judge nowadays. But learn to be comfortable with who you are and what you have to offer and share with others. You can use this comfort zone challenge to remind yourself that it’s OK to be vulnerable.

+ Unplug for an entire day. This would include email, social media, and your phone for 24 hours. If you would like to take this challenge a little further completely ditch electricity for the 24 hours. Obviously, don’t turn off things that are necessary to keep your life in working order, like the freezer holding your food. But turn away from the iPad for a day. Leave yourself to get in touch with your own mind and thoughts. It’s an interesting exercise if you actually dedicate yourself and will definitely challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone.

+ Leave your smartphone at home for the day, or put it in emergency mode, and spend a day offline. Turn of your phone, no calling, no texting, no surfing the internet. Just again, enjoy your time out of the house. I think we all experience cell-phone addiction in our modern society. Lots of us, if we forget these items somewhere, will immediately turn back to get them. Be comfortable just being with yourself. 

+ Go a whole week without TV. It’s harder than you think. But I bet you get a hell of a lot more done in a day if you give the comfort zone challenge a chance.

+ Try meditation, either in public or just at home. The benefits of meditation are becoming more understood as researchers look more into it. It is definitely challenging, especially if you don’t like to sit still or struggle with silence. But it’s a good way to slow things down and relax.

+ Be extra honest with someone. You have to be really comfortable to provide honest opinions with others sometimes. Especially when you assume that the other may not necessarily be happy with what you have to say. But be comfortable enough with your self to have the strength to say them anyways if you feel the person will benefit from hearing it.

+ Pick up an unfamiliar book and read. Instead of wasting time watching TV or scrolling through social media, read a book for a few hours. Regardless of the type of book you choose, it will get your mind up and running a bit more than those other activities would have.

+ Eat alone at a restaurant. It takes courage to sit in a restaurant alone. Especially when others might look over and assume you got stood up for a date. But it will force you to be comfortable being alone with yourself. This is a skill that many of us lack currently. So try this challenge!

What to Do After You’re Done Your Comfort Zone Challenge

Hopefully, you truly commit to this challenge and give some of these a solid try. If you complete them all, then you know what, begin making up your own and adding them to the comment section below! Continue searching for new ways to challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone.

I promise, that once you begin stepping outside your comfort zone you’ll become addicted to it. You’ll see progress and skill development that you’ve never experienced before. If that doesn’t get you hyped up, what’s wrong with you!

If you want to take this challenge even further, find ways to get your friends and family involved. You can push each other to achieve even more results!

Overall, it’s learning how to step outside your comfort zone and manage your biggest challenges in life that will help you to become the person you want to be. It will help make you mentally tough.

Time to Wrap It Up

I really hope that this comfort zone challenge has inspired you to step outside of your own comfort zone. Each individual challenge seeks to help you build upon slightly different skills.

Though you might be nervous and experience a bit of anxiety, this comfort zone challenge is a lot of fun when you get going. One of the big keys is to attempt to dissociate yourself with the actual outcome of the challenge. There is no success or failure based on the outcome of the individual challenge. If you’ve attempted to complete the task, then you’ve succeeded, regardless of the outcome.

So give it a go, have fun, and most importantly, stay excellent!

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