Stepping Out of the "Comfort Zone"

We all like to feel safe and comfortable. The older we get, the more "set in our ways" we become. We get settled in our career, our social life and our overall daily routines. To some extent, routine is beneficial. It provides a sense of predictability and reliability and in some settings, improves productivity.

Although, if you find yourself in a rut and at a "dead end" in your life, or need improvement in a certain aspect of your life, you will need to make an effort to change your lifestyle.

In order to bring a positive change INTO your life, you have to be willing to step OUT of some parts of your current lifestyle...even if it means stepping outside of that comfort zone. In fact, it most definitely will require stepping outside of it. It doesn’t have to be a huge leap – it can be baby steps at first to build up your confidence.

“Our current lifestyle is always maintained by some combination of habit, comfort, fear and reinforcement”
- Michael Arloski, PhD, PCC

Our thoughts are a very powerful tool in obtaining the life we want and also the life we don’t want. Your thoughts are one of the only functions of your body that you have 100% complete control over. From the minute you wake up, until the minute you go to sleep, you process over 10,000 thoughts going through your mind. Some of them you aren’t even aware of. Most of us have a constant stream of negative thoughts. We all have that voice inside our head that says we can’t or shouldn’t do something. We think we aren’t good enough or we don’t deserve it. This is just your ego trying to prevent you from stepping out of your “comfort zone”.

The universe is constantly responding to your thoughts, good or bad. It doesn’t know the difference, it just responds to the energy you create with your thoughts. So it is imperative that we make a conscious effort to become more aware of and change our thought patterns…
If you constantly worry about something happening…
it will happen.
If you are grateful for what you have and focus on helping others …
the universe will give back to you in return.

“Whatever you’re thinking about is literally like planning a future event. When you’re worrying you are planning. When you are appreciating, you are planning…what are you planning?”
- Abraham-Hicks

Most people spend a large part of their day, and their life, worrying. Worrying leads to stress, and stress is the root of so many illnesses in today’s society. Worry is both an addiction and a symptom of a greater illness. Illness is an energetic blockage which prevents Universal Life Force Energy from flowing through the being to recreate balance. The more we can feel this Life Force Energy flow through our body, the more we can come into touch with a natural state of wholeness. Reiki is one way of restoring this natural flow of energy

Just for today, look at the people and circumstances you’ve attracted into your life – without blaming others or yourself. Just for today, see what needs healing within yourself and write a positive affirmation that states whatever improvement you want to achieve.

Try doing a 10-minute meditation where you close your eyes, clear your mind, and fully relax and turn your thoughts inward.
Do not focus on what you don’t have. Instead, focus on what you want as if you already have it, and be thankful for it. Keep your mind in a state of appreciation and you will attract more of what you want.

Instead of worrying, trust that love and happiness are your birthright! Adopt a conscious spirit of gratitude and realize how much we take for granted such as a supportive spouse, a faithful friend, a reliable car, a beautiful sunset, a beautiful flower garden. When we appreciate the little gifts in our lives, we create an energy that attracts more blessings into our lives.