When Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Do something that scares you every day,” she wasn’t talking about watching the latest slasher film on Netflix. She was talking about stepping outside your comfort zone. The cozy routines most of us live our daily lives in keep stress and risk to a minimum. The trouble is, the things that would make us happiest in life are often also the scariest things to go after.
We all have things we’re afraid of. It could be a fear of starting a new job, going back to school, moving to a new city, ending a bad marriage or relationship, or starting a new one. A study by Duke University reveals that we share a natural reluctance to experiment. In fact, 47% of our actions are habitual. That’s a shame when you think about it, because in many cases, the risk of trying something new is relatively small, while the rewards can be enormous.
No matter how scared you are about making a leap, the trick is to not let your fear hold you back from doing something that could ultimately make your life better. Here are three reasons to take the plunge.
It opens you up to new opportunities
If you’re like most people, there’s probably at least one thing in your life that you’d like to change, try, or do, but you keep putting it off because you’re scared to go through with it. If you only stay with what’s familiar and comfortable, though, you wind up closing yourself off in a little bubble that keeps you from accomplishing what matters most to you. Recent MIT research indicates that when you actually start doing the thing you’re afraid of, your fear fades away. Better still, when you embrace the unknown and take that step forward, you open yourself up to new opportunities for happiness and fulfillment. After all, the best way to avoid regretting the things you didn’t do is to actually do them.
It helps you become fearless
If fear is keeping you from going after something you want, the only way to conquer it is to tackle it head-on. Ask yourself, “What am I afraid of?” That you’ll fail on some level? That you’ll look foolish or be rejected? Research shows that talking to others about their failures can actually make you less afraid of failing yourself. Instead of letting fear cripple you, make up your mind to try that new thing: apply for another job, start your own business, ask someone out, do stand-up at open mic night. Take a chance, because sometimes the best moments in life come from doing the things that scare us the most. True, you might stumble and fall, but your dreams and ambitions are worth trying for.
It helps you grow
Chasing your dreams can be scary, but making mistakes is really a matter of perspective. The fact is, many great successes start with failure. For example, Walt Disney was told he lacked creativity, and Steve Jobs got booted from his own company.
The only people who never fail are the ones who never try. Sticking to the safe and familiar only ensures you’ll continue to see the same results in your life. By stepping out of your comfort zone and facing your fears, you’ll get to places you’ve never been before. You’ll feel more confident, comfortable, and self-assured.
It creates a different kind of comfort zone
Every day is a new chance to move past your fears and achieve your goals. So do one thing every day that makes you downright nervous and start to live fearlessly. Then add to that feeling with real peace of mind. The kind that comes from knowing your family’s future is protected. Find out how life insurance can help your loved ones follow their future dreams here.
In the spirit of transparency, this blog post is for informational purposes only. We know how quickly things change, so we can’t guarantee the content and links to unaffiliated parties are up to date.
