Stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing the discomfort

Happy March!!! … April Fools! It’s not March!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a post out for March. Truthfully, I had a lot going on, and writing started to feel like a chore instead of a passion. That was a clear sign of burnout for me, so I took a step back for a month and I’m so glad I did. It gave me time to reflect on where I want this platform to go and what I truly want it to be.

Some Personal Notes / Updates

Over the past year, I’ve been on a spiritual journey. Without sharing every detail of my testimony, I’ve found a new faith in Jesus.

While writing blog posts this past year, there were so many moments where a meaningful scripture came to mind or I had a powerful conversation with a friend that I wanted to share, but I didn’t feel comfortable talking about my faith here.

But Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes.”

I’m learning to step into this faith unashamed, even when it feels scary, even when people might not understand. I know that the version of me from two years ago wouldn’t have understood either. But it’s important to me that I live truthfully and honestly. If I hold back here, I feel like I’d be doing both you and myself a disservice.

Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone: The Three-Part Circle

Today, I want to talk about something I’ve been working on for the past year and am still growing in: stepping outside of your comfort zone.

The image above is one of my favorite visual representations of why stepping out of our comfort zone matters, even when it feels overwhelming or anxiety inducing.

I encourage you to draw this diagram and fill it out with me as we go through each part.

Circle One: The Comfort Zone

The first circle is small, this is your comfort zone. It’s where you feel safe.

And while comfort isn’t a bad thing, it can sometimes be where fear quietly holds you back. Your comfort zone can include beautiful things...being at home, spending time with friends and family, enjoying alone time, reading, or going to your favorite restaurant.

But it can also have its downsides.

Are you staying home instead of taking a healthy risk to meet new people?Avoiding trying new places? Holding yourself back from growth?

Take a moment to fill this circle with what your comfort zone looks like. The good and the bad.

Circle Two: The Discomfort Zone

This is arguably both the hardest and the most important circle: the discomfort zone. This is where growth begins. It’s where you step outside of what’s familiar and feel the tension of something new. Whether that’s visiting a new place, trying a new church, starting a conversation with someone new, or sitting with different people.

This is the space of healthy risk.

It’s easy to step into discomfort, say “whew, I did it,” and immediately retreat back to comfort. But if you look at the diagram, that’s actually moving backward.

To reach the next circle, you have to stay in the discomfort long enough for it to become familiar.

And that’s when you enter…

Circle Three: The Growth Zone

Circle three is freedom. This is growth.

This is where the things that once felt uncomfortable now feel natural and normal for you.

What’s amazing about this stage is that it becomes your new comfort zone, expanding your capacity for growth even further. It’s proof that you’ve already grown beyond where you once were, and it reminds you that anything beyond this is possible too.

That doesn’t mean it won’t still feel scary to move past your new comfort zone... it will still be scary! But now you know you can do hard things, because you’ve already done it before.

Your Turn

What’s one area where you can step into discomfort?

Fill out that second circle and then imagine what circle three could look like for you. Fill that part out too!

How I Stepped Outside My Comfort Zone This Month

This past month has been a whirlwind but in the best way. It was full of discomfort, but also moments where I realized that things that once felt scary now feel completely natural.

In March, I:

• Left a job that no longer aligned with me

• Spoke up about how I believe people should be treated and stood firm in that

• Went on my very first mission trip

• Led a devotional for the first time

• Shared my experience at a church celebration after returning home

• Agreed to share my testimony on Good Friday (that’s in two days!)

• And tonight (technically April 1st), I’ll be leading a discussion in my young adult group

  
  

Most of these moments lived in that discomfort zone!!!

But at the same time, things like ordering at a restaurant, spending time with friends, leaving my house, simply going to church, or traveling without family, things that once felt uncomfortable, now feel easy. That’s how I know all those new scary moments this month are leading me towards even more growth and freedom.

I hope this encouraged you. There are some exciting changes coming to this blog and website, and I can’t wait to see where Be Every Era goes from here.

Love you always,

Brooklyn