Beyond The Comfort Zone
Connor Barnes
Senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Advertising & Public Relations Major & Entrepreneurship Minor | Former SLAM Social Media/Marketing Intern | Honors Carolina
When I first picked up the camera, the amount of fear I had could fill Kenan Stadium.?
The thought of recording myself talking in front of people hindered me from starting my channel for years. The idea of people judging my every move while I record, edit, and once I posted the video haunted me.
It wasn’t until I came to terms with that this was the life I wanted for myself, and this is what came with achieving my dreams, that I began to simply not care.
Stepping out of your comfort zone is an essential part of life and an even more essential step into growing as a person. If you were to ask any successful person who worked for what they have, they would harp on to you about the importance of making yourself uncomfortable to hone yourself and your abilities. If you continue to live in a bubble of protection and comfort, you will not be able to handle difficult situations or combat new problems. Your skill set and knowledge can only improve so much if you continue to do the same thing over and over again.?
For me, stepping out of my comfort zone came with picking up my camera in front of others. I had never done it before, and the eyes drawn to me initially made me uncomfortable.?
“Why is everyone looking at me? Oh, because I’m holding a huge camera talking to myself.”
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“Alright, once everybody looks away I’ll start recording again.”
These were conversations I would have with myself constantly. Fighting internal battles with myself, when in reality, nobody cared.
It was once I realized this that I fully stepped out of that comfort zone and embodied the “content creator” that I desired to be. Learning that people will judge you regardless, people will talk about you regardless, but also that people are so consumed with their own lives that they do not care about what you are doing, really helped me to take this step.
If you are striving to do something in life, do not let the thoughts and eyes of other people deter you. Your favorite celebrity, influencer, athlete, etc., went through the same things that you are. They just continued to pursue their dreams and didn’t let outsiders take them off their path.
What is the difference between them and you? When you really think about it, nothing.
Unless you are modeling yourself after an NBA player because chances are you aren’t 6’5 but anybody else ????