Ah, the comfort zone.

It’s a cozy place, isn’t it?

But as warm and safe as it might feel, our fear of breaking out of it is often what holds us back, when it comes to moving forward in life. And it’s usually when we finally break those chains that we grow and change in the best ways, and even achieve our greatest accomplishments.

If the time has come for you to break out of your comfort zone, here are some of my best tips for making it happen.

1. Start with small steps

If you’re thinking about testing the boundaries of your comfort zone, you probably have an idea of what you want to chase after outside of it. So if you’re feeling a little intimidated, start small!

Think about what it was like when you were learning to read. You didn’t go from not knowing how to read to all of a sudden being able to read “War and Peace,” did you? Of course not! And did anyone expect you to do so? NO! You learned the alphabet, you learned vowels and consonants, you learned what sounds the letters made when combined in different ways. Then you might have started reading picture books, then short chapter books, and then novels.

Fast forward to today, and instead of learning how to read, maybe your goal is to attend a networking conference, but the mere thought of it scares the living daylights out of you. What is one way that you can dip a toe in the water?

The internet has been a blessing for those who might find it easier to connect with people online than to jump right into in-person networking. So maybe you start with meeting a new person or two in a Facebook group related to your business. Or maybe you summon the courage to actually attend that conference, but instead of overwhelming yourself with the thought of connecting with everyone in the room, you focus on saying hi to one new person.

Breaking out of your comfort zone can be a process. Although small steps might feel insignificant now, they add up and will lead you to where you want to go. 

2. But sometimes taking a giant leap is necessary

Sometimes you need to stop thinking and start doing. Really.

So it can be better–and easier even–to bust out of your comfort zone like a wild horse and go after the thing already. 

Just like ripping off a Band-Aid, there are times when it’s necessary to take a big step outside the lines of your comfort zone in order to grow in the way you need to. Yes, it can be scary as hell to go all in like that, but the rewards far outweigh the risk.

How do you take that leap though? 

First, you have to commit to doing the thing, and you can’t put pressure on yourself. If you put too much pressure on yourself, you’ll likely begin to get overwhelmed and talk yourself right out of it. 

It’s going to feel hella uncomfortable to take a huge step out of your comfort zone, but you have to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. Remember, discomfort isn’t always a bad thing. Discomfort often happens when we challenge ourselves. And that’s a really good thing.

Most importantly, though, don’t forget to believe in yourself. Believing in your unique power will give you the push you need, and it will get you further than you ever thought possible.

3. You might be hesitant to try something new. Try anyway.

When it comes to trying something new, some people are able to dive right in with no fear, but so many others are hesitant or nervous. 

But guess what? It’s totally natural to feel that way.

Whether it’s trying a new food, starting a new job, or speaking in front of an audience for the first time, stepping out of our comfort zone can be scary and intimidating. So much so that it can cause us to shrink back and stay where we are.

But trying is a key factor when it comes to breaking out of our comfort zone because trying is actually us making the effort to escape it. And that’s a pretty big deal. 

4. Let go of the fear of failure

I know, I know! This is much easier said than done. But the fear of failure is more often than not one of our biggest obstacles when it comes to personal growth.

Yes, everyone gets scared of failing, and perhaps some of us experience this more often than others. However, when you think about it, “failing” is actually learning. And when you’re able to flip the switch and you’re able to look at that anxiety of failing as excitement about possibility instead, big things can happen. Like major, huge, life-changing things.

We talked about trying something new earlier, right? 

Trying is never failing.

Say you went to that networking conference we talked about earlier, but you didn’t talk to anyone. That’s ok! Although you might feel like you failed, you didn’t. You took the first step, which was actually attending the thing with the goal of meeting someone new. You can always try again at the next event, but now you have a better idea of what to expect and it might be easier for you to strike up a convo with someone new. 

What matters in the end is that you have the courage to try, and although it might not always work out the way you hope it will, you’ll likely learn something that you wouldn’t otherwise, and that in itself is a success, not a failure.

If we spent our lives stuck within the confines of our comfort zones, we’d never grow. We’d never achieve all the wonderful things we’re meant to achieve. We’d never experience all that life has to offer. So don’t let those chains prevent you from going after what you want. Dream. Explore. Thrive.