Change And The Comfort Zone

by Elizabeth

I got to thinking about change, and the number of people who do not venture out of their comfort zones, who sadly miss out on life's opportunities.

Changes may be welcome or unwelcome, depending on one's comfort zone which is so predictable, when it means life is comfortable, with a routine that never wavers from day to day. This comfort zone to people desiring a change is restricting and boring.

It takes courage to make differences to a life, taking chances, leaving home, making decisions and mistakes and learning from them.

Taking steps to starting a business, going to a strange country, making a new life away from the old, leaving a partner, getting work after being at home for a number of years, giving up a job to engage in further study, when one has to make up the shortfall in funds by taking on small jobs to bring in some money, there is planning and thought involved for some time.

Young people who have gone and done these things, may end up poor money wise but rich in experiences and gains in maturity and independence.

Changes involving the loss of employment, becoming bankrupt, a partner leaving you with debts which you cannot see ever being able to repay, the death of someone near and dear to you, especially if it is child or a partner, can overwhelm the people facing such catastrophes when they were quite unexpected and coming out of the blue.

There are natural disasters, crime and murders of family members which are very devastating, and take time to come to terms with. The loss or theft of property is like a death.

Separation and divorce if it was not mutual, brings heartache to the person who was left, with them feeling a loss of self esteem, and worthlessness when they did not expect that.

Circumstances which arise can bring unhappiness and a loss of the old life, but handled properly those upsets can be turned around.

Someone who has been made redundant, when left to consider it, may suddenly realise that they were not really happy or productive in that job, but stayed because of insecurity if they left.

Now that they have been thrown out of that comfort zone, they have to think, "What am I going to do now" A thought about something that they would have liked to have done, comes up, and then a way is shown that they can do something to realise those dreams.

A marriage ends, and there is a sense of loss� "Why did he or she have to do that to me" After a while, "Yes we have been on the rocks for a while, we only stayed because of the house and the mortgage." It means splitting of assets, and each buying or renting a smaller home, and the wife thinking of having to earn some money.

When everything has fallen into place, both parties realise that their relationship had gone past its use by date and that they get on better now that they are apart. Once the children have accepted the split up and adjusted, they will get on with each parent a lot better.

Even people who have lost family members as a result of murders have finally come forward to help other people who have gone through the same trauma. They will never recover from their sad loss but helping some organisation to combat crime will give them a project to focus on.

Looking back over the years, I have had my ups and downs, and been put out of my comfort zone many times. I have felt that I should have done better. I had confidence problems, and because of this I have tried to encourage and empower other people.

Looking back I know that I have come a long way, and learned a lot that I might not have, had I stayed in the comfort zone I wanted to be in.