Step out of your comfort zone

Sometimes when I am stuck in a dark place, I console myself by watching old movies I loved as a child. “The Goonies,” “The Great Outdoors” and “The Lost Boys” top the list.

Maybe I am reminded of a simpler time or maybe it is just that the familiar is a comfort; I don’t need to guess what happens next. There is certainly comfort in knowing what to expect and having consistency in our daily lives.

The basic human instinct, I think, is to find our comfort zone and stay there, where we feel safe and secure. But staying in that comfort zone often holds us back from not only the vast and beautiful experiences of life but also keeps us from reaching our full potential.

Our comfort zone can be a good place for a short time, but it tends to be (or at least for me) anything from a bad relationship to a bad habit, like smoking or overeating.

I stepped out of my comfort zone when I applied for a position writing full-time. I stepped out of my comfort zone when I started singing more than karaoke. I stepped out of my comfort zone when I made the move to Poplar Bluff.

The fear of failure most likely holds everyone back at some point in life.

I know fear has kept me frozen at times. It has often misguided my choices. It has kept me from chasing dreams and even hindered me in my career path.

I am always scared and hesitant about making big changes and major life decisions. What if it doesn’t go as planned? What if I fail? But, I can say with absolute certainty that every time I have stepped out of my comfort zone I have had no regrets.

We can only achieve our true potential when we take chances, make changes and bet on ourselves. We cannot achieve great things without taking risks and testing the limits of our own abilities.

I encourage you to step out of that comfort zone; even baby steps are steps in the right direction. Taking this step will introduce new challenges and opportunities that will eventually lead to a sense of accomplishment and personal growth.

So I ask, have you settled for the familiar?

Will you reach for the stars or just hang on for dear life? I say find your purpose and unleash your true potential.

Misty DeJournett is a staff writer at the Daily American Republic. She can be reached at mdejournett@darnews.com.