"There is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone."

John C. Maxwell

It is easy to remain in our comfort zone where things are seemingly familiar, under control and bringing us little in the way of change or surprises. To remain in our comfort zone can be very detrimental as over time it limits not only our growth, but also our opportunities. When one makes the decision to leave their comfort zone, one will likely find new challenges in dealing with the unknown, but there are rewards as doors of opportunities open up leading to possibilities one might never have found by remaining in their comfort zone.

Once we open and walk through one of the  doors of opportunity, we begin to experience opportunities that were previously closed to possibility. As we grow out of our comfort zone, we expand it and establish new boundaries. This concept is something we know to some degree, yet we tend to fail to fully embrace it and remain inside the limiting confines of our comfort zone.

Imagine the safety and security you can find by going into your closet (comfort zone) and closing the door without your cell phone or any of the convenience device(s) you use or rely on each day. In that confine, you are temporarily detached from the world. You are alone. Your mind can become free to pray, wander and focus on whatever you choose with no distractions. There is problem however, in that your possibilities to connect, interact, create and collaborate are severely limited in this environment. See this analogy as your comfort zone. What would be the effects of staying in that space for a prolonged period?

Staying within that confine for too long would be both unrealistic and detrimental emotional, mentally, physically and maybe spiritually and financially as well. Of course we need to have the ability to eat, use the bathroom, interact with others and much more. Hopefully you getting the picture. Let's continue this line of thinking and go out into the rest of our home environment. All of a sudden our opportunities and possibilities expand. Suddenly there is much more we do, create and accomplish. The problem is that we are still in our comfort zone (home) and there are inherent limitations on remaining there (although during COVID-19 we should stay in much more than we're use to).

As you can see, as we venture out and expand our comfort zone, we may sacrifice some degree of security, safety, and we may become more vulnerable as well. The good thing is that we open doors of opportunity and possibility as a result of stepping out of our comfort zone.

COVID-19 has knocked us all out of our comfort zone. Being out of the comfort zone can be very uncomfortable. Too many people are currently seeking to get back to the normal (comfort zone) they knew prior to March of this year. There is however, a reality that we are forced to accept; that normal/comfort zone is gone. 

"When opportunity comes, it is too late to prepare."

John Wooden

We now have an opportunity to create a new normal and prepare for it. Whether we leave our comfort zone by force or intention, we must understand that opportunity is just beyond the door. I encourage you to look for and seize the opportunities that are beyond those doors. Intentionally expand your comfort zone and get into the growth zone! 

"We grow by intention or we shrink by default."

Ronnie Cunningham