General Question

Skyrail's avatar

Does your comfort zone expand or do you bring things into your comfort zone?

Asked by Skyrail (1700points) July 17th, 2008

If you have to step out of your comfort zone does your comfort zone expand to envelope what you have just done, making other things easier as they are now closer to the ‘border’ of your comfort zone, or do you end up pulling it into your comfort zone therefore things outside your comfort zone are still just as hard to overcome. It’s all purely hypothetical (or is it?) and It’s just something I’m thinking about seeing as I’m now growing up, learning to drive, in a year I’ll leave home etc. do these changes get easier? Is it all in the mind and is it a barrier we overcome by expanding our ‘zones’?

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6 Answers

Allie's avatar

From my experiences, after I’ve done something the first time it gets easier from then on. So to answer your question, I’d say my comfort zones expands to include whatever it is I just did. Of course there are things for each person that are just not going to be comfortable. For me, it’s people touching my feet, or going anywhere near my feet. I hated when I was little and the shoe salesperson would put the shoe on for me. Now I just smile and tell them thanks – they take the hint and walk away.

tinyfaery's avatar

I would say if you actually do something that you find uncomfortable, then you must have stepped out of your comfort zone to do it. After that, your comfort zone expands to encompass the new activity. Either way, change will not occur if you don’t try new things, even if they cause anxiety.

marinelife's avatar

Change always has some amount of discomfort involved, but once you have experienced something new, your zone expands and the new becomes the familiar.

rowenaz's avatar

I agree – the comfort zone expands. For example, I love to have adventures, but am scared to be alone in the woods…I started geocaching with my daughter, and we actually are just starting to go ALONE. A BIG step for me. And it’s getting easier. At first I would only go with a group or additional people. The CZ is changing, but also I am taking precautions to maximize my feelings of safety, or put another way, I am compromising, so that I can still go out with her, but feel protected.

wildflower's avatar

If you keep bringing things in to your comfort zone, won’t it have to expand? Otherwise it’d be awfully crowded after a while….

Skyrail's avatar

All really good answers there, thank you, ‘tis appreciated, all have a similar line of fire but stated in different ways, thank you :)

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