How to Get Outside Your Comfort Zone: What I Learned From Wearing New Pants to Work

In order to grow we must be comfortable with being, well, uncomfortable. Nothing new with that concept I realize, but pushing ourselves outside our comfort zones truly does has a host of benefits and not so many downsides (think the downsides are largely related to challenges that are dangerous like trying an extreme sport without preparation).

I'm personally a huge fan of challenges. It's how we grow and a great way to learn more about ourselves. But aside from moving to a place where you know just about no one (check) or traveling abroad on your own (soon to be check, stay tuned for these plans) it's not always totally clear just how we can push ourselves.

I've wondered what some ways to do this might be. Then a few weeks ago, I realized I was in the middle of doing it. So what was I in the middle of that was pushing me outside my comfort zone? I wore a pair of funky pants to work.

This sounds silly I'm sure but let me explain what exactly I did, what this taught me and how you can apply the concept.

What I did:

I wore a pair of slouchy, trendy pants to my office.

How does this fit the criteria of pushing me outside my comfort zone?

I'm glad you asked. See, these pants were a little different from my normal style. I thought they were great in the store. I thought they were great in the dressing room. I thought they were great in my apartment. I thought they were great in the morning when I put them on. Then as soon as I parked my car at my office I wondered, "Wait, are these pants weird?"

I work at website so the dress is pretty causal. Additionally I spend my time with a lot of technology guys who will admit that they're not the most stylish. Basically I can wear whatever I want to work.

On top of this I'm also a pretty confident person, both in myself and my fashion choices.

But still, this almost sinking feeling of, "Is anyone going to say anything to me, or laugh at m?" crept over me. Being the self-confident person I am, I wasn't proud of it.

But I mentally explored it. And I realized that this was one small way to practice challenging myself. With that in mind, I waltzed into my office in my new pants.

But wait, really, how does this fit as 'pushing' someone outside of her comfort zone?

I did something that was outside of my normal routine. I took a risk. I tried -- in this case I wore -- something new and different. The results don't necessarily matter (though for those who are interested in, I got some compliments) what matters is that I did something new that was a little nerve racking and I survived, and possibly became better from it.

Got it. Sort of. But what actually happened:

Again, I got a few compliments but largely no one noticed. I felt slightly uneasy the first few hours of the day and was aware of how many times I was walking to the bathroom, by the end of the day I forgot I was even wearing something "different."

Okay, got it now. But what's the point?

Want to get better at pushing yourself outside your comfort zone? Try small, seemingly trivial things. Small things still count and trying something like this in a safe space (e.g., with friends or family, or in a relaxed work environment on a Friday with coworkers whose fashion opinions you care little about...) is a good, easy place to start.

Now what?

Challenge yourself. Pick something that you're not super comfortable with, but won't devastate your life if things go wrong, and go for it.

If we don't push ourselves we won't get better and if we don't try something we'll never know how it might turn out!

On taking the plunge: moving to a new city

Recently I seem to have a lot of friends, family, coworkers who are talking about making geographic moves. Some are professionally or academically driven. Some simply need a change. 

They often reach out to pick my brain given my experience. Each time I generally have the same reaction to them: Do it.

If you're like these dozen or so people in my network who have the desire, means, interest and drive to make a move across the country, across an ocean, to a new area where you might not know anyone, wherever really, my advice (barring any major issue or unique situation) is to do it.

Sure it's complicated, expensive, scary, and risky but life just gets more complicated, scary, and risky. It's also exciting, ballsy, and ultimately will build character.

It can blow up in your face. A job or a city can most certainly go sour. It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others. But you keep your head up, your eyes and sights on the bigger picture of your larger life goals, and you make the best of it. Any experience will better you, even if that simply so you know what to not look for next time.

A while back when I was considering a move that might be seen by some as risky I remember talking with a good friend who said something wonderful to me; she said, "You can always come back." And it's true. If something doesn't work out you can always course correct, you can try something and someplace different, but you do have to try.