Many of us, whether we know it or not, live within a prison of our own making. This prison has no metal bars, nor can its walls be seen by the naked eye; however, it is every bit as effective in keeping us from our freedom as a real prison cell. It’s called our comfort zone
Comfort zones can take on a variety of different forms, from the area in which you live and the circle of people with whom you socialise, to the amount of money you earn.
The primary force that keeps you living within your zone is your fear-based belief about what will happen if you move outside it.
Regardless of how ridiculous or unrealistic that belief may be, you will accept it as truth depending on the level of certainty you feel.
Your comfort zone is not really comfortable at all, but is really a virtual prison that keeps you from evolving and growing as a human being.
The bars to that prison are your fears about what may possibly happen if you move beyond them. The key to your freedom therefore lies in the removal of the underlying beliefs that cause those fears to exist.
Just for a moment think about a goal or dream you have that seems somehow out of reach. Now check to see if achieving it requires that you move out of your comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory.
It could be a dream job, a new relationship, starting your own business, losing weight, or living in a totally different part of the world.
As you do this little exercise notice how a subtle feeling of fear or nervousness begins to emerge in your chest or stomach area.
This is your unconscious mind springing into action with the intention of dissuading you from doing anything it perceives may put you in danger.
Most of the time you won’t notice the constant influence your comfort zone plays in your life, and you might find yourself placing the blame for your lack of progress towards your goals on laziness or procrastination.
However, if you stop and consider just for a moment why you can’t seem to get that item crossed off your to-do list, make that phone call, or fill out that application, you will begin to realise the true cause: What you want to do is outside your comfort zone.
It is your beliefs that direct your mind to do this; therefore, in order to break through your self-imposed limitations and achieve the success you desire, you will need to remove them.
