Life begins outside your comfort zone.

This blog post goes out to all of those who are afraid to leave your comfort zones, wherever they exist and whatever form they take. You believe that life is too difficult outside that comfort zone. You believe you are kept safe and secure within the boundaries of that comfort zone. You believe that you are protected from bad feelings while you hide in your comfort zone, but I have bad news for you. None of the above is true. How do I know? Well, aren't you feeling sad, lonely and depressed right now? If the answer is yes, please keep reading.

Staying in that comfort zone is probably the most destructive thing you could do for yourself. You are isolating yourself with your thoughts, which are probably very negative and self-deprecating. The more you are alone with your thoughts, with nothing to distract you, the worse they get. The longer you stay isolated in that comfort zone, the more cut off from the people around you and the world you become. Your emotional growth is stunted and any thoughts of the future become non-existent as you wallow, alone in your misery.

You believe that staying in your comfort zone will protect you from any bad thing happening to you. This could not be further from the truth. Not only are you not protected from bad things, because bad things happen in life, but you are also keeping good things from happening to you. You are missing opportunities to experience fun, joy, laughter, adventures, love, relationships, friendships and life itself. You watch from afar as real life becomes but a distant memory and you find yourself feeling despair and regret, as life passes you by.

Please do not read this as a criticism or a rebuke. I am literally pleading for you to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, because your life is waiting for you there. Sure, it's a risk. Something unpleasant or distressful may happen if you make yourself vulnerable like that. However, something wonderful could happen too. Let's stay with the former for a moment. Why are you so afraid of something bad happening? Know this. Every painful experience, or mistake, or blunder, or mishap we experience gives us the opportunity to learn and grow. We cannot acquire wisdom without pain, because we learn from that pain. We evolve through pain. We emerge a better, stronger, wiser person on the other side of the pain, if we are willing to take that risk and venture beyond the imagined safety of our comfort zone. Then there is this; what if something spectacular happens? Yes, it is possible.

Here is one final plea. You think your comfort zone keeps you living in cozy safety, but you are really in a prison of your own making. No joy can be had there. No laughter can be heard there. No adventures can be experienced there, and no love can be felt there. You are alone in your unhappiness and the only sound is the sound of the negative voice in your head telling you that you cannot achieve any success in life. Well, that is just a lie straight from the pit of hell! That is not how God sees you and living in this prison of your own making is not the purpose God has for you! You were fearfully and wonderfully made; never forget that. So, you don't know what your purpose is? I understand, but I can tell you this much. You are not going to find it staying locked in the prison you call a comfort zone. You have the keys to your own freedom. Your purpose, your life, is waiting for you outside your comfort zone. Please, dear one, use the key and unlock the door. Take the risk; it is worth it. You are loved. God bless!