From Awareness Builder 101: Chapter 8

8. The Myth of the Comfort Zone

 

We all know it, right? That place where it feels light and safe, easy and calm. That special space where we can just hang out. Just chill. Nothing is happening there. It’s that place where we don’t feel challenged. Not by change, not by questions, not by others. Not even by ourselves. It’s that funny, little place where we can just be. It’s so nice and comfi that we could easily fall asleep here.

 

And actually, that’s exactly what’s happening there! We think we are awake, alive even, yet in reality we’re asleep. Even with our eyes wide open. We’re asleep and we’re being fooled. We’re even in serious danger. Because this comfort-zone has walls and they are moving. Slowly yet constantly. We don’t notice it and if we notice anything, it’s a false sense of safety. For a long time it felt this place was warming up, bit by bit and we appreciated the warmth. It seems to change from an open place with an unpleasant draft, to a place where the temperature slowly rises to a nice, comfortable kind of warmth.

 

In the meantime, in reality, with the walls of this place slowly closing in on us, the pressure builds up. It’s like a steam-cooker. More and more air but in less and less space. Yet, there is no pressure valve. Initially we notice that the draft disappears and that the temperature slowly goes up. We’re clueless why, but hey, it’s comfy so why bother? It must be right! And then there is that day where we feel like stretching, maybe even jump around a bit, to then discover that your moving space is limited. Weird, we don’t get why. It’s probably just one of these off days. We simply skip moving or even lay down again. See, that weird feeling fades away. All is good again.

 

In the meantime the walls, even the ceiling and the floor keep creeping towards the middle. Invisible yet not unnoticed. Slowly we notice our breathing gets heavier. Strange. Let’s go and see a doctor. Ask for some pills. This tension that’s building up can’t be healthy. Probably too much stress, Pills, maybe alcohol or even drugs will release the tension. Or a good sick leave. We might have a burn-out.

 

In a way, that’s right! You are burning out of life! Bit by bit you allow your energy streams to glide into a coma… Why?!? Because you’re in the zone of self-limitation! That lethally dangerous zone where you’re heading towards an implosion of self. Your system is screaming to break free from limiting beliefs, restrictions imposed upon self. The comfort zone is just one big fraud! Driven by self-sabotage and false beliefs.

 

And now you’re at choice. Are you going to break down these walls of the zone of self-limitation or will you accept this slowly lethal prison. Are you going to listen to your heart, your body, your soul, all of them crying to break free? Are you going to step into freedom and an unlimited space to move and create? Or not?

 

Alive? Or dead whilst still breathing.

 

Your call.

 

Your life.

 

 

Journaling questions for this chapter:

 

Where is my system screaming to break free from limiting beliefs, restrictions imposed upon myself?

 

How does an unlimited space where I can move and create freely look like?

 

What is actually the full range of my authentic self?

 

 

© 2024. Alex Verlek, Coaching Works International.

 

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