Beyond the Comfort Zone – Build Self Esteem by Breaking Your Routines

Expanding your comfort zone and breaking set routines can help to build self confidence and self esteem. Many people feel stuck, restless or bored, often as the result of a lifetime of uninspired routines. The fear of looking foolish, the fear of the unknown and the fear of being ridiculed keeps many of us from reaching beyond our comfort zones, beyond the safe and predictable schedule of daily existence. But in order to expand your horizons you must be willing to face these fears and misgivings with the childlike attitude of exploration, and a positive mind set which is focused on the end results.

Change your style of dress. Have a look at your wardrobe. Do you see a certain style of clothing that you choose to wear time and time again? We all have our favourite articles of clothing, a comfortable pair of jeans or t-shirt; they are like security blankets that we hide our true identities behind. Sometimes we are afraid to reveal our true selves. Sometimes it’s easier to create a facade; it’s easier to blend in with the crowd. You might fight certain colours of clothing in your wardrobe over and over again, a closet full of black pants or red skirts. Do the clothes that you wear reflect who you really are, do they reflect your true personality, and do they reflect the type of person that you would like to be? Buy a few articles of clothing in colours and styles that you wouldn’t normally choose for yourself and wear them the next time you go out, wear them to work. Notice how your friends and family comment on your new look. Pay attention to how you feel when you wear different styles and colours of clothing. Experiment and have fun trying out new looks and combinations of styles, textures, colours and patterns.

Break your routines. To a certain extent we re all creatures of habit, we seek familiarity and predictability. Sometimes this predicable behaviour can leave us feeling unchallenged and dissatisfied, we feel like we re in a rut. Mixing up our routines can be an exciting and fun way to expand our horizons. Take a different route home every day for the next week. Do your grocery shopping at a different store this week. Do your banking at another branch of your bank. Find creative ways to alter your routine. Have something different for breakfast; try unfamiliar foods, anything out of the ordinary. Try out a new restaurant or rearrange your furniture. Change your environment and break out of established routines. You may be surprised to learn how predictable your life has become, how safely nestled into your safety zone you have been.

Drive home by a different route every day for a week and shop at different grocery stores.

By breaking out of your normal daily routine, you become aware of just how much time you spend tucked away safely within your comfort zone. Breaking out of a rut can be as simple as trying a new restaurant having something different for lunch or rearranging the furniture in your home. You can trade bedrooms with one of your roommates or move into a new home. Go on vacation to a completely unfamiliar location. The idea here is to change your physical environment and to mix up your overall sensory experiences. By forcing yourself into new locations, you not only become aware of how attached you are to your favourite old haunts, but you also force yourself to see the world from a new angle.

Everyone has their favourite television shows, tastes in music, favourite authors and genres of writing. We all have likes and dislikes which govern the choices we make in how we occupy our leisure time. For the next week or two change your entertainment habits. Listen to styles of music which are different from your usual choices. Rent a movie in a genre that wouldn’t normally pay much attention to. Keep an open mind about genres, styles and approaches to entertainment and information.

While you are at it, change the way you interact with media. If you usually listen to the evening news on the television, read the morning paper instead or listen to the radio. You might find that new styles of entertainment and media are well suited to you. Make comparisons and evaluate how information presented in different formats can offer greater or lesser detail. Does reading the newspaper, listening to the radio or watching television make you think? Or does it have the opposite effect, do you zone out when information is presented in these formats?

Practice random acts of kindness. Compliment strangers when you have the opportunity for the net week. Pay attention to the people around you. Be sincere and genuine about the compliments you share. Think about the person you are complimenting. Notice things about them, their behaviour, dress, style, things that are worth reinforcing, qualities that you admire. Are they creative, do they express an individual style, are they well spoken, do they seem happy, do they have a nice laugh or a nice smile?

Be spontaneous, the problem with having a comfort zone is that you don’t give yourself enough opportunities to be creative, playful, spontaneous and adventurous.

Having and maintaining a comfort zone isn’t the same as being happy! Give yourself permission to expand your horizons, break out of set routines so that you can allow yourself to experience what life really has to offer.


Jeffry R. Palmer is the well known author of several books dealing with the subjects of metaphysics, paranormal phenomena and psychic development. His articles and columns have been featured in several popular international magazines. His accurate and detailed psychic predictions, including Hurricane Katrina and the Indonesian tsunami have captured the attention of an international audience.

Personal psychic readings by Mr. Palmer are available through the http://psychicclairvoyantreadings.com web site. These psychic readings are kept in strict confidence, cover all aspects of life, are extremely accurate and detailed and are very simple to purchase. Mr. Palmer even offers a 100% money back guarantee to clients if they aren’t completely satisfied with their readings. Psychic Readings