In and out of the zone
Various people have been posting this in various places and I think it has some really strong points to make about how problematic exhortations to step outside one's comfort zone are: “Do One Thing Every Day That Scares You”: Comfort Zones, Vulnerability and Success.
Thinking about it further, the idea that one should step outside one's personal comfort zone really pings me on two things: the very dubious claim that 'what does not kill you makes you stronger' (particularly grrrsome in the light of current vaccination issues and finding that people are, apparently, throwing measles parties rather than getting their sprogs vaccinated), and 'experience tourism'/bucket lists of things you Should Do before whenever.
About which I have expatiated heretofore.
Okay, will cop to coming from the position that it actually took me quite some time and a number of less than pleasant experiences to find out what my comfort zone was, and I would contend that one at least has to know where its boundaries lie before choosing (or not) to step outside them.
But I'd also argue that it might be better all round to extend those boundaries from within, rather than stepping across them. You can do yourself a mischief by doing the latter - the analogy that occurs to me is physical exercise - it's better to build on what you can do rather than try and do something that you can't do or haven't done, which may turn out quite deleterious. (Thinking about that guy I posted about yesterday who set up a back-to-nature commune: we feel he might have done better to start by doing a few weekend camping breaks...)
Generally I think that the benefits of comfort and what Stella Gibbons defined as 'the Gentle Powers', in Westwood - at one point a character suggests 'Pity, Affection, Time, Beauty, Laughter' are among these but not the complete list - are seriously underestimated.
It also occurred to me that 'If' is about being able to take what life throws at you and that one is probably better prepared to do that if one has not strained one's capacities through too much venturing outside the comfort zone. This entry was originally posted at http://oursin.dreamwidth.org/2231010.html. Please comment there using OpenID. View
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