Last night, I did something that was outside my comfort zone: I danced in public. I hate dancing in front of other people—probably because I’m terrible at it—yet I signed up for an event for Christian young adults that involved dancing. Needless to say, I was apprehensive about it.
Wearing a hat and a flannel shirt, I arrived at the event. Surrounded by over 100 people, I ate pulled pork and played games. I had lots of conversations—some with people I knew and some with people I didn’t know. I did a couple line dances (and I definitely stunk at them). But the square dances weren’t too bad. Honestly, I danced my heart out, running, swinging, and sweating as I Dosey Doe-d with a complete stranger. Overall, the event went surprisingly well.
If you winced when you saw the title of this post, you’re probably an introvert like me. I hate when people tell me I need to step outside my comfort zone. But to be honest, I often end up thriving when I take their advice. I hope you’ll consider taking mine.
Missing Out
I’ve noticed an unfortunate trend among young adults: Many of them create large comfort zones around themselves. Maybe they leave church as soon as the service ends because they’re anxious about talking to the visitors in their pew. Or maybe they avoid going to office parties because they’re afraid they won’t have a good time. Or maybe they spend every Friday night at home because they just don’t feel like going out and being social.
If you can relate to any (or all) of these scenarios, I want you to know I don’t judge you for choosing to stay inside your comfort zone where it’s warm and cozy. I’ve made that choice countless times in my life. But I’m really glad I didn’t make that choice last night. I’m not saying I’m oh-so-courageous for showing up at an event where I had to dance; I’m simply saying I don’t regret it.
The main thing I want to communicate through this post is this: Although you may be nervous about stepping outside your comfort zone, you’ll probably be glad you did.
Stepping Out
Honestly, I believe that fear is often the reason we stay inside our comfort zones. When we go outside our comfort zones, we may encounter awkward or difficult things. For example, when I attended the event last night, I easily could’ve embarrassed myself. I could’ve tripped over my feet and fallen on the ground. People could’ve stared at me or laughed at me. But none of those things happened.
The Bible doesn’t specifically address the topic of comfort zones, but it addresses fear several times. Psalm 118:6 (NASB1995) says, “The Lord is for me; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” The Lord is on our side! When we fear Him, we have no reason to worry about anything else—including what other people may think, say, or do.
Staying inside your comfort zone probably won’t have many long-term benefits. To be honest, apathy, loneliness, and self-centeredness usually result from spending too much time there. However, when you choose to bravely step outside your comfort zone, you may grow in unexpected ways. Let God guide you to what’s best—rather than what’s easiest or safest—and thank Him for His protection and provision along the way.
This post was originally published here.
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