4 Ways to Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

The topic of being comfortable with being uncomfortable has long been discussed, and is quite the buzz phrase. But why does “being comfortable with being uncomfortable” even matter? The simple answer: if you don’t do things that are out of your comfort zone, then you are going to atrophy professionally and/or personally. If you don’t push yourself out of your comfort zone, you may find yourself wondering why your life and career aren’t progressing how you would have imaged. You may even look around at your friends and colleagues who have changed and corrected course, and wonder what happened to you. Here are four ways to steer clear of being stagnant personally and professionally.

1. Choose to Perform 

Showing up is half the battle. It’s true that many things vie for your attention, but actively choosing to take the first step despite environmental circumstances will get you that much closer to your goal. Because starting something new can be uncomfortable and unenjoyable, it’s important to consistently remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. Don’t lose sight of your “why,” otherwise it will be much easier for you to quit.

2. Embrace Change

Change is often associated with feelings of discomfort. Likewise, something that is familiar can be associated with comfort. Staying in the “familiar” and “comfortable” will stunt your ability to enter into new opportunities. New opportunities are often accompanied by improvement and growth, which cannot be achieved without some level of change. A friend of mine applied for a job that she initially felt underqualified for, but she didn’t let that stop her from pressing forward and pursuing the role. She applied for something that was outside of her comfort zone—really stretching herself—and now it’s coming back in spades as she landed the job and is enjoying it immensely while earning double the salary of her previous role.   

3. Be Kind to Yourself

This is important with everything you do in life, but is that much more important when you’re in unfamiliar waters. It’s easy to critique your performance and feel down about yourself, but try to shift from critiquing things you could have done better, to acknowledging the steps forward and the improvements you’ve made. This change of mindset will set the foundation for building your confidence and give you fire to search out new endeavors.

4. Practice Makes Perfect

The more you do things that make you uncomfortable, the more you realize that you can, and then the more you try to achieve. And around and around you go. This is how you build confidence! The practical tip here is to start small. Don’t think that you need to do something grand to be uncomfortable. For example, if you’re uncomfortable in social situations, start with your friend bringing someone you don’t know to dinner. You will have the opportunity to meet someone new while being supported.