What is the feeling of being comfortable?
Relaxed and at ease. You are in familiar surroundings, with the people you know, doing things you like and are good at. You are just like a fish swimming in the water, an elk running in the forest or a bird flying in the sky. What these form as a psychological state is what’s known as your Comfort Zone. Within your Comfort Zone, you can have everything that you feel happy about.
Stepping out of your comfort zone, you will face new people and unfamiliar things. In this case, the past solutions are no longer applicable and your sense of security can disappear without a trace. There is another world in front of you.
Scene 1: I don’t know this person and I don’t know his/ her background. Should I talk to him/her? Or wait for him/ her to talk first? What if he/she doesn’t like me?
Scene 2: What is this? I have never seen it before. How should I use this thing? Should I ask someone else? What a shame, how can I not know what this is?
Scene 3: I have never tried it. What if I can’t learn? Maybe I’m not suitable for this? I really don’t know. How can I do this?
Of course, it can be unpleasant to feel strange, unfamiliar and uncomfortable, and it may make you a little dazed and uneasy. However, other than being uncomfortable, there may even be a little excitement, a trace of anticipation, or a burst of surprise.
You may even ask yourself secretly, “What if I can?”
Sisters Who Make Waves has been pretty popular recently in Mainland China. It is a reality TV show featuring 30 female celebrities over 30 years old, who must compete to debut in a 5-member girl group through closed-door training sessions and tough competitions. A lot of people have expressed their mixed reactions upon seeing this show, asking questions like:
“Don’t they have anything else to do in their lives?”
“Is it appropriate to do this at their age?”
“Can they really do that?”
I believe that even the participants in the show have had such doubts:
“Can I do this at my age?”
“Maybe I can’t?”
“I shouldn’t do it, I am not a teenage girl anymore.”
So many of these women are already capable, famous and influential artists. So, why did they join such a reality show? Just for fun? The company’s decision? Dreaming of being in a girl group? To challenge themselves? They all have their own reasons, but what can they get from it?
Kym (a Chinese singer and actress) said, “I still wanna live an extraordinary life.”
Della Ding Dang (a Chinese singer) said, “I don’t stop here.”
Regina Wan Qian (a Chinese actress) said, “I am still courageous in facing unknown challenges, and still able to overcome difficulties, so that everyone can see what women look like when they are mature.”
Ning Jing (a Chinese actress) said, “I don’t care if I am good enough, but I must work hard because I really want to change.”
Whether you are experiencing doubts from other people or struggles in your own heart, this situation will appear again and again in your life when you try something new for the first time. It could be small things like trying a new restaurant, a new style, or signing up for a new course. It could also be huge moments like changing to a new job, moving to a new country, or starting a new life with a new partner. Each time we will be a little frightened, but also with a sense of hope and excitement.
If being comfortable is a feeling of satisfaction with a familiar state of mind, then being uncomfortable is the signal for you to start a new journey. Learn to accept this strangeness, learn to embrace this anxiety, and learn to enjoy this discomfort.
The uncomfortable present will lead you to another comfortable future full of surprises and expectations. If your life is encountering various new challenges and difficulties, congratulations, you are on your way to another level in life.
Go for it!
