If I may, Steve, kindly be more specific. I could come at this from so many directions. I’ve done about 1600 articles, many of which address the question of comfort zone. I think there’s a critical point at which the extreme exhortations to push ourselves becomes just one more deeply distressing and anxiety-producing pressure. So to a certain degree, defining what our comfort zone is in any arena is the beginning. Then, rather than shove at it or push it just for the sake of doing it, the next step is to determine whether it makes sense to push yourself. Why? What does anyone hope to achieve? Is it just to prove a point? Or experience a piece of ourselves in a new way? And if so, to what end?

I can give you an example. I am right now packing up the smalls in my living room in preparation for selling my house and moving next year. I’ve gotten way too comfortable in this house, and in living a bit like a hermit. As soon as I starting coming up with reasons to stay where I am, and those reasons are based in fear, for me that’s the first indicator that I need to move. However, that’s me. For me, comfort and complacency are the enemies of growth. There is an important balance, though, and that is to have a place of relative safety. That’s internal. I also need a home base. For now, I want to change it.

For someone else, simply taking steps to get more socially active can be as challenging to them as my selling and moving. It’s entirely relative to each individual.

If there is something you or I dream of, the next question is what are we willing to do to be able to live that life? What do you and I need to do to let what we most care about happen?

Getting outside our comfort zone means vastly different things to each of us. I tend to push a bit farther than the average, but most certainly not all the time. That would be exhausting. What’s exhilarating for me is to find an outer edge, erase it, then enjoy that for a while. There is no final resting point for me. For many, where they are in life right now is just fine.

What isn’t fine is when someone isn’t happy with where they are, they don’t chose to do what it takes to change or improve their world, and they spend their time trolling and attacking. The world is full of such people. And out of fear of these cretins, many others never try. So not only do they ruin their lives, they ruin others’ as well.

I want folks to self determine as much as they can. No it’s not easy. Because proscribed societal rules have a lot to say about what we can or can’t do, should or shouldn’t do. It does indeed take courage to step outside what’s comfortable. For my part, it’s worth it.