Top 4 Fears that Keep Us in Our Zone

We love our comfort zones. There’s a certain contentment that comes of knowing exactly what to expect from day to day. The problem is we can’t stay in this state forever. Remaining in your comfort zone leads to stagnation and inhibits personal growth. The only way to move toward your dreams is to challenge those comfort zones and eventually leave them behind.

So why don’t we do just that?

Change can be a terrifying thing.?There are four main fears that are to blame for just about every barrier we throw up that keeps us from taking life to the next level.???

1. Fear of the Unknown. There’s a certain comfort that comes in knowing precisely what to expect in every situation. Imagine going to your favorite restaurant and ordering the same thing you order every time you visit. Now imagine yourself ordering something you’ve never had before. Do you feel tense? The reason is simple: You don’t know if you’ll like what you get, so you hesitate. Why try something new when you know you already like what you’ve always done before?

Embracing the unknown might well mean you’re about to discover something you never knew you’d like. Occasionally you’ll pick the wrong thing, but when that happens, chalk it up to a learning experience and move on. In the end, remember this:?that thing you know you like now? Once that was new too.

2. Fear of Failure. No one likes to fail. But have you ever considered that failure could honestly be a good thing? When we fail, we learn a way that doesn’t work – and we learn something about ourselves. Failure is an opportunity to grow.?

3. Fear of Rejection. We worry that if we put ourselves out there, that we might wind up unloved, or unwanted. When we hold back with other people, we keep them at arm’s length, and never enjoy the relationships that we COULD have.

4. Fear of Success. Every change can be frightening. And with success comes the acknowledgment that what we do is important and worthwhile and interesting. And that by extension – so are we. It’s hard to give up that negative self-image and the damaging behaviors that have reinforced them. By letting go and enjoying success, a whole new world opens up right at your feet.

When we let go of our fears, we’ll find that leaving that comfort zone is not only easier but necessary if we’re ever going to grow. Besides, why should we be giving the time of day to something that holds us back?