Motivational Monday: Saying Yes and Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone

I haven't done a 'Motivational Monday' post in so long and the topic of this post is something I had been thinking about for a while so I decided to turn it into a blog post. I like these kind of posts because I like to look back on them and read what I had written and re-motivate myself😄Plus if they manage to help anyone who may be feeling the same, that's definitely a bonus.

I've often felt like, at times, I've missed out on different opportunities and little life experiences by being too afraid to take the step out of my comfort zone and by sticking to doing things or going to places that I'm familiar with. Staying within your comfort zone is absolutely fine, but it can mean that you're not getting to see or do anything new. How can you have new life experiences if you stick to doing the same things all the time?

I go through different phases where I feel comfortable with routine and sticking to the things in life I know best but then I start to get bored and long for new experiences. I'm the one that holds myself back though by staying within the realms of what I know rather than saying yes to any new opportunities that come my way. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm often a very shy and socially anxious person and so the thought of doing new things generally scares me more than is necessary to the situations. It's like I want to say yes but my mind is convincing me that it's a bad idea when in reality, saying yes is, more often than not, the far better choice.

There had been a time when I had started to say yes to doing more things, going to more places and it was honestly great. I was always glad to have said yes because it led to new life experiences and to making more memories. Even if I initially regretted saying yes, the regret almost always disappeared as I was doing whatever it was that I had said yes to. However, a little while ago without even fully realising it until recently, I had sort of slipped back into the habit of saying no more often than saying yes or making excuses not to do things. I had even stopped going out with my friends as often, choosing instead to stay at home. This was when I started to realise that this wasn't the sort of life I wanted to be living. I wanted to be going out, having new experiences, making new memories with the people I love. I didn't want to be confined to doing the same things all the time. I really want to try and push myself to expand my comfort zone and to grab ahold of any new adventures and opportunities.

 I want to have a more positive outlook towards trying new things. I often find the thought of doing new things pretty daunting, and I'd rather have a more excited attitude towards new experiences. I want to say yes to more things, especially  the things that lie outside of my comfort zone. Many of my favourite memories are of the days I did something I wouldn't usually do.

I've started making a conscious effort to start saying yes again to more things that I'd probably never usually do. Whenever opportunities come along like friends asking to go places, I've been trying to say yes whenever I can. I recently went to a music festival and the thought of going was pretty scary for me. Going to a music festival has always been something that I've wanted to do but it was also something that scared me. The thought of a really crowded place probably packed with lots of drunk strangers was something that made me really nervous. However, I had a fantastic time when I was there. I was so glad to have said yes to going and to the experience. I made new memories with friends and can now check off going to a music festival off my bucket list.

As much as it is good to try and step out of your comfort zone and say yes to new things, I feel it's also important to not push yourself too much otherwise some experiences may end up not being the best because you're not feeling comfortable at all. Take things at your own pace.

I hope you start saying yes to a few, small, things that you might not otherwise say yes to.

Bye for now, xo