LIFE WITHOUT PANTSDont WalkRun Out of Your Comfort Zone5 mins read in personal growthAs human beings, we are inherently afraid. Afraid of failure, afraid of what other people will think of us, afraid of being alone,afraid of change and the unknown, and afraid to let ourselves go and step outside of our comfortable little environment our tight-knit circle of friends never wanting to leave the path weve been told were supposed to take.Ive been there. Hell, Im still there sometimes. Ive let my fear control anddefinewho I am. It took me a long time to realize that sometimes, even when it seems ridiculous or even inappropriate, you just have to let yourself go and be YOU in the purest sense of the word you have to connect with what makes you unique and tap into your full potential. Were told all the time that you have to do whats best for you but when you take a step back and think are you actually doing it?Can you honestly say you feel like youre the master of your own destiny, or are you riding on the coattails of faith in hopes that it will lead you in the right direction?If youre wandering around wondering how to take that first step how to quit your job and find something better, move to a new place, try a new food, get back into working out whatever it is, big or small just do it. Now, dont get me wrong, I knowjust do itmay be a cop out and a total rip off from Nike but all Im saying is that youcan do whatever you set out to once youre ready and believe in yourself.Usually, to get there, you have to step outside your comfort zone you have to throw away being content and rock the boat a bit until you figure things out. You have to experiment and try new things sometimes without a back up plan. Its not easy, it cant always be calculated and strategic but causing a riff every now and then and introducing a little chaos into your lifestyle is sometimes the only way to get things done.Do Something New. Starting Now.Go out and try Sushi for the first time(not the lame-o California roll as delicious as they might be I mean the real raw fish kind).Travel to a place youve never been and before you do it try to make some friends there who can show you around and maybe give you a place to crash(no sense in not saving a little money, right?). At the next networking event, dont just sit in the corner with the people you know go challenge a friend to a game of pool and let complete strangers set the stakes of the game, even if it involves cartwheels you know you cant possibly do(hypothetically speaking, of course). Start looking for another job if youre feeling stuck where youre at(there IS something better out there).It all comes down to you and your willingness to run, not walk, out of your comfort zone.If your reading this from a business perspective take this year, or hell, even this quarter or this month, and try something new. Get on board with Social Media invest (IE hire someone) tojoin your team as a community manager a person who is 100% invested in building relationships with your customers. Been there, done that? Then try something else integrate new media (like video) into your marketing campaign take your staff out for a happy hour every other week. Hell,just do something youve never done before.Odds are by going against the grain and trying new things youll become a trend setter someone that other people will follow and admire. One minute youll be shrugging your shoulders to Coolios rendition ofFantastic Voyageand the next, youll be leading everyone on the dance floor in the Electric Slide. Dont believe me? Watch the video below.You Need to Conquer Your Comfort Zone Before It Kills YouJUNE 16, 2015Have you ever looked back on your life and started to realize that some of your biggest goals and dreams just vanished? Not because you didnt care about them anymore, but because you never took that initial step to get started on pursuing them wholeheartedly. Life thenjust started to pass you by.Everywhere I go and speak there isalwaysa select handful of people who come up to me afterwards describing a similar scenario as to the one I mentioned above.Related:Go Ahead, Destroy Your Comfort ZoneAs a matter of fact, this quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., says it all: Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out.What a chilling statement.There could be a hundred different reasons as to why someonedoesnt take the proper action that is required to get their goal or dream off the ground and up and running, but more times than not its the lie that your comfort zone is feeding you.Everyday, people from all walks of life have the opportunity to do whats easy, listening to the lie of their comfort zones, or to do whats necessary, which more than likely are the things that they do not want to do. From the time we wake up in the morning, to what we eat for breakfast, and how we go about the rest of our day, our comfort zones will be talking to us.Related:Your Comfort Zone Is Killing Your SuccessEveryone wants to be great. I can honestly say I have never met anyone who doesnt want to feel good about themselves and feel as if they are a success in the game of life. Unfortunately, wanting to be successful and actually being successful are two completely different things, and a great determining factor of success a majority of the time is if a person isparalyzed by comfort or conquering comfort.Entrepreneurs and business owners must get comfortable with being uncomfortable very quickly, or else there is virtually no chance to withstand the pressure and demands that it requires to be in business for yourself and manage others.It really saddens me when I see someone fall into the extremely dangerous trap of comfort, and watch them bundle up their potential and push it off to the side as life passes them by.Thats the true definition of dying at the age of 25 but not getting buried until 75.Or, as Holmes says,Die with their music still in them.One of the more sad times in my life came when someone very dear to medied at a very young age due to a massive heart attack. The death alone was heartbreaking, but even more heartbreaking was thinking about all of the things he said he was going to do and accomplish, but ended up bringing those passions and dreams to the grave with him. It wasnt a lack of skill, timeor resources that prevented him from actually getting started on those things, but the cancerous word comfort.Everyday someone heads to the grave with their music still in them, with an unlimited amount of potential not touched, all because they let their comfort zone kill them.Please dont let your comfort zone kill you and head to your grave with your music still in you. Greatness requires courage. It requires you to conquer comfort every single day of your life.Are You Ready to Start Conquering Your Dangerous Addiction to Comfort?At this very moment something on your to-do list is nagging at you ... A proposalyou need to write A payment you need to make An awkward phone call An administrative task An appointment you need to scheduleWait,back up two steps: Its a phone call. That's it. You know the one Im talking about:thatphone call.Related:3 Dirty Little Habits That Will Kill Your Entrepreneurial DreamsYou needed to make it days (weeks? months?) ago. But you havent. Why not?Ill tell you in two words: comfort addiction.Procrastination is a form of comfort addiction. Think about it. We dont tend to procrastinate on doing things we find comfortable. Im hungry --I eat. I want to watch a show -- I watch.Maybe this phone call you haven't made yetis to a difficult client, your difficult accountant or maybe your difficult father?It doesnt matter. You just know you needed to make that call and the fact that you havent hangs over your head day afterday.You havent made the call because doing so makes you uncomfortable. Theres not a lot more to it than that, really.For a lesser mortal, this discomfort would be enough reason to maintain the procrastination. But not for you!You are going to embrace that discomfort. Andyou are going to make that phone call right now.This very second.Oh, Im sorry -- were you waiting for me? Because I am waiting for you. To make the phone call. Now. Right now. Mid blog.Ive got coffee andTheNew York Timescrossword puzzle in front of me. Im good. I can wait. Make the call. Go ahead.You're back? Good.Related:Wake Up to These 3 Bad Habits Derailing Your CareerNow, put yourself in one of two categories:1.I made the call. I did it, and I didn't die or anything! I was bold in the face of my discomfort, and it feels great to have that call off my list and out of my head!2.Uh, Im just reading a blog post. I dont need toactuallymake a phone call, do I? You dont meanme,do you? Really, that call can wait.Tell me who is better off right this very moment. Tell me who is more satisfied, productiveand triumphant. Tell me who is the better person for denying their desire for comfort.I encourage you to make this phrase your new mantra:Where there is no challenge, there is no change.Wedonot feel challenged when we stay in ourcomfortzone. And no challenge means no change and no change means no growth.Staying addicted to comfort is the most efficient way to maintain the status quo. Don't be that person.Go make thatphone call.Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort ZoneBY VINOD JANUARY 1, 2015

life begins at the end of your comfort zoneIt was Neale Donald Walsch who said:

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

And it cannot be more true if you think of life as the journey towards our purpose, our true calling, the fulfillment of our true potential.

Most people live out their lives in their comfort zones. Afraid to change, afraid to step out, afraid of the unknown, they stay where they feel safe and where they know all the rules of the game.

Then there are the rest, who take those steps, who embrace change and who leap into the unknown, for they know that true human potential knows no bounds.

They know that staying in your comfort zone is the greatest evil you could fall prey for.

Test your limits

How often do you test your limits?

Most of us live our lives within the limits that we have set for ourselves regarding what we are capable of achieving.

These limits are born out of fear. We dread what lies beyond what we already know. People are not even ready to imagine a situation where they overcome these fears.

What do you do when somebody asks you to run a marathon? What about writing a novel? What about speaking in public? And many other things like that?

Sure we admire people who do all these things. But when it comes to doing one of these ourselves, we invent a dozen excuses as to why I cannot be doing it.

The mere thought of doing something that they have not done before makes most of us uncomfortable and defensive. And then we see and hear only what makes us feel safe. All the possibilities that lie beyond the fear are not seen or considered.

Dont believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding. Find what you already know and you will see the way to fly Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

Know that there is no human endeavor that is impossible for you.

You dont need to always stand on the sidelines and admire the marathon runners. You could be running it too. You can write a novel. You can do a speech and receive a standing ovation form the crowd. No, not in a day, but definitely.

The first step is to step over the fear. Get out of your comfort zone.

Remember, what makes you comfortable never lets you grow.CLICK TO TWEETUse comfort as a flag

One of the best ways to avoid falling prey to the lure of comfort is to use it against itself. Be aware of the the time when life seems to be too comfortable. Look at the situation with the understanding that you are capable of achieving anything.

Most of the time, what we call comfortable is what our mind conditions us to believe is comfortable. Most of the time, we settle in our comfort zones, we are settling for mediocrity. Those boundaries that your mind constantly reminds you to not cross, those were placed there by your mind itself, and they do not in any way represent your potential.

And when you recognize this, and deliberately push at the limits you have set for yourself, you start seeing that there is a whole new world out there, that is far more satisfying than what you were comfortable with earlier.

Embrace change

If there is one thing that is sure to come your way in life, it is change.

Everything in life is gonna change at one point. Even if you cannot fathom the reasons at this point in life, the changes are gonna happen whether you like them or not. The only way to deal with change is to embrace it.

Those who try to resist change are the ones who dwell in past and live in constant misery.

Being attached to your comfort zone can cause so much sloth and inertia that you start resisting change. When you are comfortable, its very easy to believe that change is something that happens to other people and that what you are enjoying now will remain so forever.

Even if you believe that change will come sooner or later, you may dismiss it with the thought that you will adapt to it when it arrives.

This is a mental trap. Not only will you be unprepared for the change, but when it comes, your attachment to your comfort zone will make you cling on to the past and make life miserable for you.

The best way to beat this is to embrace change even before it comes knocking on your door.

When you realize that youve been in the comfort zone for too long, when you recognize that your growth is stagnating, when you realize that you have not done anything new or exciting for the last one year, call Mr.Change in.

Make changes, big changes to your life. Learn where you want to take your life and move in that direction.

If that calls for a career change, do it. If that calls for a change in a relationship, do it. If that calls for a change in where you live, do it.

Make the changes that you were afraid to make all along.

Ask questions to yourself and realize the limits you have placed upon yourself. Push them. Break them.

Let go of the limiting beliefs and thought patterns that dont serve you in attaining your goals.

This new year, trace the ends of your comfort zone and take the step beyond. Life begins there.

Do you feel like youve been in you comfort zone for too long? Are you struggling to get out of it and move forward? Feel free to share in the comments.

Cheers,

Vinod.

By the way, I have started a new twitter handle for the Life Probabilities Blog. I welcome you to follow the blog there too, so we can have some great discussions. Image Courtesy: Scott Ableman

Cobra Breath Technique1. Sit Down, preferably with your legs crossed; and your spine straight.2. Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth lightly, but keeping a very smallspace open to inhale.3. Contract your anus and hold. Do not apply too much pressure you are not workingthem out, just contracting them.4. Breathe in through your nose: A) Pushing out your lower abdominal muscles, fill thebottom part of your lungs, then: B) The middle part of your lungs, then: C) The upperpart of your lungs. Do all this while focusing on (NOT DIRECTING) energy climbing upthe spine from the base chakra and out of the crown chakra.Note: You will not feel the sexual energy rise on the inhale. You are creating a route for the sexual energy to rise. It will rise after the exhale.5. Hold for 5, 8, 10 counts (whichever is most comfortable, without straining.) NEVERpush this!6. Widen your mouth, like a smile so when you exhale with your tongue pressed againstthe roof of your mouth, you will make a hissing sound naturally.7. Exhale while contracting your lower abdominal muscles, then your middle-section(lower lungs), then your upper lungs, until completely empty of breath.8. Wait for the sexual energy to rise and meditate on it.The above constitutes one round. For Newbies it is best to do 2-3 rounds. For AverageMeditators, 4-8 rounds; and for Advanced Meditators as many as you feel comfortable with.The important thing to remember is never push yourself to far with the breathing exercises,as you may end up damaging your nervous system. One way of realizing if you are doing toomany rounds, is your words and speech patterns slurring. If this happens simply decrease thenumber of rounds and/or number of counts.About the Cobra BreathThis technique is an all-in-one empowering technique; a direct advancementtowards your kundalinis ascension. The Cobra-Breath is very natural. In order forthe Cobra Breath to work, you will need strong sexual energy, in other words,strong chakras.

You're reading a free preview. Page 2 is not shown in this preview.READ THE FULL VERSION After you have unblocked all of your chakras you can work with the cobra breathalong with continuing the empowering of individual chakras. This will really speedyour empowerment endeavors up.You can direct the sexual energy into specific chakras, but you must first createthe route, then concentrate on the route from the base chakra (root of the spine),up the spine, and into the chakra during the inhale.You should also perform alternate nostril breathing exercises before performingthe cobra breath as these balances the Ida and Pingala nadis leaving the majorityof the sexual energy to rise up the Sushumna and not the Ida or Pingala nadis.If you feel an imbalance in power between the Ida or Pingala nadis (twin serpents)perform the cobra breath with only the right or left nostril exposed, depending onwhich one is more powerful, as you want both to be equally empowered, in otherwords, balanced.You're Reading a Free Preview

OUR FREE MONTH