Amale Bouzlafa

I was reflecting last week on how much I actually love writing these articles. I don’t know, it just makes me very happy… Just expressing things and sharing things I have learned. It made me realize how much I actually enjoy it, but also how much I was censoring myself. My filters are high and I am aware of it, but I didn’t realize just how much… I feel so much freer just expressing things in a more open way and not overthinking everything.

Sometimes I would have these thoughts about whether I am keeping myself in a comfort zone or not. I mean, my intention was to make videos, and here I am writing articles…LOL 😅 Then I thought, how do I know if I am staying in my comfort zone? Maybe this is my comfort zone? How can you tell if you are keeping yourself in your comfort zone?

I know that it has to do with resistance because I can feel the resistance just pushing me to not take action. That is what is creating all this thinking. These thoughts used to affect my mental health a lot, but now I just observe them like clouds. I let the thoughts that keep popping up in my head go and let them disappear, then find back my peace. Now, I intend to win this resistance battle (however much time or work it might take).

However, the things I learn from writing these articles are very interesting, and I realized how many subjects I actually want to talk about. It may not be the best way to do it, but it is my way, and it is enough. I’ll figure out the video thing eventually. It is intriguing that I initiated a challenge to record a total of 30 videos, and while I successfully recorded these 30 videos, I never actually posted them. I know, weird right…

Anyway, I wanted to share some things I have learned about the comfort zone and how to actually get out of your comfort zone… Now, from what I have learned, you are stuck in your comfort zone when:

• You feel like things are predictable and regular [Y/N]
• You avoid doing things that change your usual routine [Y/N]
• You feel secure, but also a little stagnant or unchallenged (or bored) [Y/N]

This is what I’ve learned from the book Growth Mindset by Carol S. Dweck and how important it is to develop a growth zone instead of a comfort zone. The comfort zone is the place where you feel secure and safe… It’s familiar and predictable, but it often doesn’t give you the chance to grow. It’s the unshakable feeling of stagnation, feeling stuck or not moving forward…
The growth zone is where you feel challenged and evolving. It’s where learning and development happen, but it can also be uncomfortable and uncertain. There is a lot of fear that can come up, but it is welcomed with excitement and eagerness instead of avoidance and apprehension.

Lastly, I want to share this quote that kind of stayed with me, sometimes I forget, and it helps me remember:

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
– Neale D. Walsch

Trusting it will bring some light to someone’s shadow,
Amale 💫💙