Stepping out of the Comfort Zone

This week's intention has centered around the third law in the 12 laws of transformation.
Step out of your comfort zone.  This is one of my favorites. I challenge myself daily to step out of my comfort zone, because I know it can be difficult but will make me stronger, more resilient, andI will grow.

This is not my first blog on this subject.  So I thought I would look at it from a new space.  All of my previous blogs reference yoga. How yoga has taught me how to do this, which is still very true.  But, it’s not just yoga that has taught me about this concept, it is also the work I have done in coaching. I have spent many hours coaching myself through the process of self-inquiry and through doing the “Work”.  If you are familiar with the “Work”. You are familiar with Byron Katie. Byron Katie is a renowned author and public speaker on self-healing and personal transformation. She defines inquiry as “a way to end confusion and to experience internal inner peace, even in a world of apparent chaos.  Above all else, inquiry is about realizing that all answers we ever need are always available inside us.”

With a world filled with so much chaos how do we even begin to listen to what are inner voice is communicating.  It starts with getting quiet. For me taking 5-10 minutes to do a thought purge each day. Write down any and all thoughts for five minutes straight, without any constraints, whatever comes to mind write.  From this list I am able to identify where my thoughts are in that moment. I am able to see if they are or are not serving me. I then have the awareness which gives me the power to choose whether or not to keep them or let them go.
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It is the process of inquiry around my thoughts that is the catalyst to create and manifest change for my life.  Inquiry creates a space to examine one’s own thoughts. The first two questions we ask ourselves, Is it ture? Are you certain it’s true?  It is often in this first stage that I have come to learn that my thoughts are not even 100% true, they are my version. I encourage you right now, identify what you are thinking, ask yourself is it True?  If your answer is yes, ask yourself again are you 100% certain this thought is true? I have found out for myself and working with clients that it is almost never 100% true. It is from this space where inquiry begins, and stepping out of the comfort zone starts.  This work is not comfortable, but it is transformational. Through a series of questions, and turnarounds I have gained great awareness into my own thinking. It has been scary and upsetting at times. However, it has given me my power back! It has shown me how I have the power to change my thinking.  Just the other day I had a thought, “that is so unfair why not me?” It knew right way this thought was not serving me, as I wrote it out I recognized how child like it sounded. Right away I did my inquiry around the thought. The inquiry exposed a wound that many of us struggle with, “I am not good enough”.  However, instead of allowing this thought to linger and fester into feelings of pity, anger, or sadness, I was able to do a turn around, and change my thoughts to I am good enough, with these thoughts I was able to see the the truth, that not being chosen for this specific job, had nothing to do with my abilities.  When we change our thoughts we are able to change how we feel, which changes how we act or react in our lives. It is a daily practice of stepping out of my comfort zone. To live in default will only keep my life status quo. I’m not saying that this is bad, but if you want to be more than status quo, if you want to live life big, then it takes a willingness to look at your thoughts from a place of compassion, and then inquire about them.  This is hard work, but I believe worth it.

Life is 50% good and 50% bad.  So with this being the case, why not step out of your comfort zone.  Knowing that at least 50% of the time, it will be good, and the other 50% will be a chance to learn, and to grow.  

If you are curious and would like to learn more about my holistic coaching program.  Email me at rachel@rachelbethyoga.com.

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