How I stepped out of my comfort zone

As many of us know all too well, the comfort zone can be very comfy. There is nothing wrong with familiarity: it brings us a sense of feeling like we understand or belong.

However, if we were to never exit what we know, we would have no way to discover what other things the world has to offer.

I come from a small village in the middle of nowhere: a village with no public transport, no career opportunities and no takeaways. All that this place really has is good Wifi, honestly, as well as scenic views.

In 2019 I made the decision to go to university in Cambridge. It was a terrifying life choice at first as I knew that it would mean having to push myself in ways that I never had before. Looking back now, though, I couldn’t be more glad to have made that decision.

Fast forward to the present and I’m sitting in a new accommodation in North London typing this for you. I still can’t fully process the fact that I am here, that I’m at university again but it isn’t the same one, or how big this new city is around me. When I first got to London I cried. Watching my family wave goodbye as they looked back up at me from the courtyard, I felt somewhat abandoned among the thick of it. It was as if I had been thrown into a whole new chapter of my life suddenly, disorientated and afraid.

After I took time to breathe and unpack, I spent a while reflecting on how grateful I was to have the opportunity to be in a position where I can continue to pursue my dreams. Yes, I felt afraid. Yes, I didn’t know where I really was or how to navigate my way around. Yes, there was a part of me that didn’t know if I was ready. However, what mattered the most to me in that moment was that I made it here. I believed in myself and my passions enough to knowingly make myself uncomfortable for the sake of my future.

September 20th 2022 was the first day that I left my accommodation grounds to go exploring. There’s something incredibly liberating about walking the streets of an unknown place filled with so much possibility. I was nervous and struggled to get around whenever my Google Map felt temperamental, but I’m proud of myself for taking the literal first steps out into my new world.

If you don’t leave your comfort zone, you won’t truly know what you are capable of. If you maintain the same routines and ideas forever, there is little room left to grow. Sometimes being frightened can be a good thing as that emotion in itself serves as an indication towards a potential avenue of challenge. No matter how big or small the challenge, see if you can push yourself to jump outside your comfort zone!