I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable leaving my comfort zones in the last couple of years (especially concerning public speaking, signings, appearances, etc.) And then I just got satisfied with where I was. No more growth for me!
I’ve noticed several other bloggers who’ve been interested in personal growth via shaking up their routines a little.
I always enjoy visiting Karen Walker’s Following the Whispers blog. She provides a great oasis of reflection..something I ordinarily don’t schedule much time for.
In the link above, Karen posts on several ways that she’s stepped outside her comfort zone…for the month of December. Wow. That’s very inspiring to me.
Marvin Wilson, The Old Silly, made one of his pontifications on stepping outside our comfort zones. He calls it:
“A fundamental element in the path of self discovery and personal growth..”
On Eye Feathers, Tara McClendon’s blog, Tara mentions that many of the best things in her life resulted from big changes. She, like me, is still conservative toward change and acknowledges it sometimes results in loss.
Have you stepped outside your comfort zone lately personally or with your writing? Queried? Tried writing a different genre? Joined a critique group or other writing organization? Tried public speaking? How did you prepare yourself for taking the leap?
Elizabeth – I’m glad you brought up comfort zones. I think it’s a good thing to be willing to experiment sometimes, and that pushes us out of our comfort zones. I took a big step out of my scholarly comfort zone two years ago when I started writing fiction, and I’m very glad that I did.
Since then, I’ve tried to do a few things that take my fiction writing out of my comfort zone, too; I don’t want my novels to be formulaic, and I think taking some writing risks helps to prevent that.
I definitely think stepping outside of your comfort zone is a positive thing. It can really help you learn more about your own strengths and weakness.
Thanks for the blog recommendations too.
Kate xx
http://secretofficeconfessions.blogspot.com
I started driving two months after my 35th birthday, and learnt swimming one month before my 37th birthday. I turn 39 next year, and need to think of something new to learn.
And I do agree with you – nothing like stepping out of your comfort zone to discover new facets of yourself.
I’m not as daring as most. Starting my blog was getting out of my comfort zone and branching out into the internet world. I am inspired by everyone to try more things now. Thanks.
You’ve got that synchronicity thing going again, Elizabeth! My guest blogger’s topic is about “New Challenges” and she’s giving away books.
Me — I’m off to the Sheriff’s Office to help out with a backlog of filing. I was there yesterday and picked up some good plot complications.
Me – I’m sort of starting from scratch, so I’ve been there before, but it’s NOT comfortable!
I’m a pretty quiet, shy person for the most part. Allowing someone else to read my work was an incredibly big step for me. That was about a year ago.
In the summer I took another large step (for me) – blogging & tweeting. Both forced me to step outside that comfort zone. I’ve enjoyed doing both. The online community is truly a caring, supportive one – so it hasn’t been as difficult as I expected.
Wow, Elizabeth, thanks for mentioning my blog about comfort zones here. It’s a huge topic, isn’t it? I guess for me it boils down to wanting to be the best I can be, and I can’t get there if I don’t stretch out of the comfort places. Merry Christmas!
karen
No, but it’s something I need to do. Again. Thanks for the reminder.
Eish, I don’t like change. I don’t handle it well.
I think my biggest step this year was querying my novel and starting this blog. Those changes I liked a lot!
It seems I’m forever having to step outside my comfort zone, although not often willingly. But such is life…thankfully, I tend to embrace change rather well (after the fact). It’s good to see it in our characters, too, isn’t it?
Great post. Maybe with the new year coming up some of us can make it a resolution to embrace stepping outside the comfort zone. I do recommend starting small though. I’m a fan of baby steps (circa What about Bob).
This whole past year has been one big leap outside of my comfort zone! Writing and publishing my first book, making a fairly sizeable investment in its promotion, getting comfortable with book talks and public appearances (okay, comfortable might be stretching the truth a bit, but I am enjoying them) – all of this has made this year an amazing year of personal discovery and growth.
I had a little help the beginning of the year – I felt that I was poised on the verge of letting myself soar, but old habits and fears held me back. I worked with an amazing life coach for a couple of months, and she provided the push I needed to take off with all of it.
I love The Old Silly’s quote about being on your way when you’re no longer comfortable with being comfortable – I think it becomes a case of being eager for what’s next. There is no going back once you’ve allowed yourself to step outside your comfort zone.
Within the past six months I’m fairly certain I’ve done everything you mentioned. I’m a risk taker.
~ Wendy
Great subject. thanks for the mention, also. I’ve been following Karen’s blog and growth out of her comfort zone, too. One thing I wrote in my post on this subject is this principle regarding getting out of your comfort zone:
When you reach the point where you are no longer comfortable staying comfortable for too long, you are well on your way.
Marvin D Wilson
I’ve done a bit of everything this year, queried a few agents, started this blog, told people I’m a writer, and joined a critique group. I feel like I’ve been very fortunate and productive this year. Great post!
The other day, I wrote a personal essay on something that happened to me in high school – it’s the kind of thing I never do, and I found out a lot about myself writing it.
I don’t know whether I’ll submit it to the place I wrote it for, since it came out more personal than I thought, but it made me think about how much I’ve changed.
Taking up nonfiction writing was a big leap for me. And scary. So far, I’ve turned in three manuscripts, two are in print now and one in the pipeline. So, it’s worked out. I didn’t really prepare myself. I just took the leap.
That’s something I need to do more of – step outside my comfort zone.
Helen
Straight From Hel
I haven’t taken any big steps lately that have taken me out of my comfort zone, but I know there are things I need to try. I guess I’m saving them for the New Year!
Since I’ve been writing such a short time, I haven’t discovered any genre yet that took me out of my comfort zone. Though I haven’t tried romance, so who knows…
I did hesitate a little before beginning a blog, but it’s such fun interacting with the writing community that any reticence has long since dissipated.
Now book promotions? Facebook pimping? That might push me a bit. Luckily I have a few years to work up to it. :)
Both personally and professionally I have been out of my “comfort zone” for a couple of months now. Actually I guess I’ve entered into a different zone altogether. I’m still working on prioritizing and getting used to this new zone.
Comfort zones continually change. Initially it’s like your entire house is a mess and you have to straighten things up and put things where they belong, or figure out where some new thing should go.
Cutting back my posts, although necessary NOW, has messed with the new zone too. I miss the day to day contact with everyone. As I get used to this new routine, I’m hoping things will become “comfortable” enough again to post more. And when that happens, my zone will change again!
It’s an ongoing process of moving from one comfort zone to another.
Very thought-provoking topic, Elizabeth. And helpful. I hadn’t really looked at the changes in my life in this light before. Rather than feeling overwhelmed and busy and hectic, I see now I’ve just been changing zones. This perspective — helps! THANKS! I feel a lot better about all the chaos now! :)
Well, it depends on what you call lately, but posting my flash fiction in English was a huge step for me. I was very self-conscious the first many times, and it took a long time before I could believe that I really wrote well enough in my second language.
Today is also a day I am quite satisfied with. I sent some flash fiction pieces off to online publishers. Not for the first time, but I sent six off in one day! That is a personal record!
I just quit my retail job to attend school full-time. (I gave up a big retirement pacsteady salary in the midst of a depression!)
I have no money (nor does my mother!) My father just died (not going for sympathy – just attesting to the big life shift), and I made the choice to become an author no matter how far the climb only months ago. I’m majoring in English Lit because it’s my dream – whether or not it’s practical.
(I also just started Blogger/Twitter.)
All of this was in just a few months. This time last year I had no idea I was going to be an author.
(Though I always knew I’d be an undiscovered and unpublished writer.)
:)
There’s a hiccup on my Internet. That’s supposed to say ‘I gave up a big retirement package.’
:)
I plan on shaking up my comfort zone this coming year. I recently tried writing creative non-fiction and poetry (way out of the “norm” for me) and submitted the results to contests.
Left a little something for you on my blog! Check it out! http://carol-in-print.blogspot.com/2009/12/have-blog-will-follow.html
Me again!
I’ve just read through everyone’s comments and wanted to add:
It’s a relief to know we’re all so similar in what scares us as writers.
Not so alone after all in this gig, huh folks? :)
I’m definitely no longer “comfortable with being comfortable”. I’m going to be writing and querying like mad next year, but I think the most important changes are going on inside me already. Soon, I think I might lose my fear of success and be ready to publish. Not there yet though.
By a coincidence I just – minutes ago – told my husband that the secretary who orders the file folders for my work is wanting to discontinue the orange folders. The orange ones are more expensive, coming from a different supplier, etc. My first reaction was, “What! I always use the orange folders for my program planning. Ten years of using the orange folders”. Then I realized how set in my ways I had become and that it was time to climb out of my rut (comfort zone) and go wild. I’m starting the new year with yellow folders. Thanks, Elizabeth, for your ever-timely posts.
I think anyone who knows me would say that they would not know where my comfort zone is – it seems to amass a great deal of what might be risky geography for most people BUT I have lots of physical fears. I hate driving on icy roads and will even call my guy to come and get me. I cannot CANNOT go onto property uninvited. I think it is from believing strictly in the commandments as a child – thou shalt not trespass! I’m often doing things which are way beyond my friends’ comfort zones but really – they just don’t bug me. I can talk in front of four thousand people, I could probably do surgery if I had an Idiot’s Guide – I will make souffles for company that I haven’t made before. I will cut my own hair with nail scissors before a big deal event. So most people think I’m fearless BUT two winters ago I had to get a stranger off the street to drive my car up a hill I was stuck on. He was sooooo…kind and handsome too! I think my job as a therapist has helped me be very fearless. Sometimes that quality is all I have to offer someone who is out on the very tips of the skinny branches – ‘you can do it, I’ll be there with you – you’re OK’ I am out of my comfort zone when I feel people are being cruel and must be addressed.
Margot–Fiction is a whole different ball game, isn’t it? Like you, I’m working to keep it fresh…and that definitely means risks.
Rayna–That’s a ton of change, right there. If I were you, I’d be feeling really smug!
Kate–I think you’re right. Sometimes we don’t know IF we’re going to be able to handle something. We can always back out if it doesn’t work out or if we don’t enjoy it. The important thing is trying it out.
Wendy–And so you’ll probably move ahead faster, too! Lots of growth coming your way.
Marvin–And it’s so true. You should pontificate on that some more.
Mason –Blogs are a big commitment! And a big step. Good luck with your branching out.
Bethany–Ohhhh…telling people you’re a writer. I’m still working on that one. That’s got to be one of the toughest things.
Terry–Ha! You’re going to start wondering if I’ve hacked into your blog draft files! :)
Jemi–I think most writers are. And it makes it hard to reach out when we’re naturally reticent people. But you’re right—this community is such a welcoming one that it makes that step much, much easier.
Karen–That’s such a good way of looking at it. We don’t know our full potential if we don’t keep growing.
Jessica–THAT would be really, really scary for me. I’d much rather make something up than delve too deeply in my own head. Good for you for taking that step.
Helen–I think I just held my nose and jumped in the water, too. But it was scary when it happened.
Carol–I guess it’s a process that never really stops.
Jane–That sounds like a good starting place for me! ;) I’ll probably do the same thing. I need to, anyway.
Simon –You’ve clearly taken to blogging REALLY well…you’re a natural, actually. Isn’t it great that when one thing works out, it makes us more interested in trying out other new things?
Kristen –Those are huge changes, though. And worked out well!
Crystal–It’s a whole new zone! You’re right. And it seems that just when I’ve gotten comfortable with one new thing, there’s another change lurking around the corner!
We’re just happy to check in with you when you post, Crystal…that’s the nice thing about blog readers. They let us know when there’s something there for us to enjoy!
Carolina–I’ll admit that I’m very grudging towards change. But the changes usually end up being for the best at the end of it all.
Tara–I love that movie. And the husband/dad just gets angrier and angrier. :)
Ingrid–See, to me you seem very natural in your role…I just assumed you were used to the writing/promoting. You’ve done a great job with handling it all.
Corra–You are all about change! But everything you’re doing is working out for you really well, it seems. That’s very inspiring!
Corra–Blogger has been driving me nuts for a while, now!
Corra –I think we’re all in the same boat. And a lot of us are introverts and folks who have a lot tied up, emotionally, in our writing. It’s hard to make that next step.
Dorte–You do a GREAT job writing in English. I’m so glad you’re sending your work off now. I think you’re going to be pleased with your results.
Janel –Way to go! I hope it works out really well for you.
Carolina –Aren’t you sweet! Thanks so much…I’m popping over.
Jan –Icy roads I can TOTALLY see. Because you’re out of control, aren’t you? And that’s scary right there.
Lorel–The scariest thing is when the publishers like it! You’re so right. Then you’ve got to really perform.
Bobbi–Doesn’t it take something like that to make us realize HOW bad we are? :) I know just what you mean!