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Comfort Zone

Comfort Zone

The conventional wisdom seems to be that stepping outside your comfort zone is good, worthwhile, admirable. Lately I feel like that idea makes a big assumption about being in a comfort zone to begin with. I rarely am. Some days getting outside my comfort zone means getting out the door, or even getting out of bed.

This morning I had a job interview, which really wreaked havoc with my mood. I'm now wired when I need to be winding down. Not to suggest that we can't take on challenges, learn and grow, but sometimes it comes at a cost that most people can't begin to fathom.

So I thought I'd start this thread to chat about how to find your comfort zone. It would make a nice change! I have an app that includes 'sleep stories' - calming voices reading stories - I think I've only made it through 1 of them, over many listens. So that works for me.

@Bunniekins @CheerBear @Shaz51 @eth @Former-Member @utopia @Mazarita @outlander @Faith-and-Hope @MDT @Queenie @Teej @Appleblossom @Adge @Wanderer @Sans911 ...I'd love to hear from anyone with ideas.

22 replies

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In response to: Comfort Zone

Re: Comfort Zone

this is a great thread @frog , thank you for tagging me

In response to: Comfort Zone

Re: Comfort Zone

Hi @Gazza75 same app!

I can relate on the work stuff. Morale is low at my work, though managers insist that it isn't - so out of touch

Alone in the natural world would do me a lot of good right now. I am planning a bushwalk for Saturday afternoon. I'm landlocked where I am, and also really miss the ocean. Maybe later in the year I can make a trip.

In response to: Comfort Zone

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While finding a link to the cake decorating video there was also a long search to try find a video from a few months ago, but it didn't show up. The video was a tv show audience learning about breathing techniques for stressful or anxiety inducing situations. It said to stand up, in a superhero type pose with your hands on your hips, and take long slow breaths, each inhale and exhale has to be over 7 seconds long, so slow deep breathing. There was a study performed by Harvard Uni that showed just doing this exercise for 2 minutes reduced cortisol levels by up to 25% and boosted happy chemicals. Has anyone tried the breath exercise before and if you have, how much did it help reduce any anxiety? Some things we know we should do but don't do them, this is one of those exercises here

In response to: Comfort Zone

Re: Comfort Zone

My comfort zone is usually when I plug the outside world out. So in other words I plug myself in. Sometimes I just have my headphones in and don't even listen to music or anything. Just limiting the outside stimulus can be useful for me I find @frog

Other times, I read in silence or eat in silence too.

A lot of my comfort comes from starving my senses. Food for thought maybe I guess ?

In response to: Re: Comfort Zone

Re: Comfort Zone

Been trying to get back to this thread for a few days @frog. It’s a good one and I found it interesting.

Like others my comfort zone changes with my mood. Sometimes it is my bed and iPad under my quilt, others it is outside my home. Lately I’ve found having coffee with a friend to be a new comfort zone. I have a big park next to me which can either take me out of my comfort zone if there are other people with dogs there, or be a really special place. I have learned the times I can go and nearly always have it to myself.

Getting out of my comfort zone is scary but when I do I nearly always need some time under my quilt in my bed doing something mindless on my iPad. I’m not so great at mindfulness after being out of my comfort zone but I do use it when I am out of my comfort zone if that makes sense. I think mindlessness is my thing to come back into my comfort zone 😳. I only just realised that as I wrote it too.

In response to: Re: Comfort Zone

Re: Comfort Zone

Today, (re) connecting with my body is my goal. My physical health has taken a back seat due to various pressures and I need to go back to basics. I'm trying to think of my comfort zone in terms of a good base to build on. So, out for a walk in spite of weather, physio exercises and then find some warmth!

@Teej @Shaz51 @BryanaCamp @MDT and all in need of comfort - I'm guessing there's more than a few of us!

In response to: Re: Comfort Zone

Re: Comfort Zone

hi @frog hope the walk & exercises went well, it's always good to look after the body - I don't really get endorphins with exercise but after I've done my exercising I do feel relieved and satisfied that I've at least done something healthy & beneficial.

In response to: Re: Comfort Zone

Re: Comfort Zone

That's great you're thinking of your comfort zone as a basis @frog, it's good to build on little by little. Have you kept up your walking (with exception to the last day due to the weather)?

In response to: Re: Comfort Zone

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Hi @Ali11 yes, walking my dog daily. It's a short one before work. Tomorrow I've organised a lunchtime walk with a workmate, and Friday I do a longer walk.

@Shaz51 @MDT @Teej @BryanaCamp how've you been?

I'm super tired and the best thing right now would be bed. I have to pick up my son in half an hour. I came home to find the house in a complete mess, having left things tidy this morning. Too tired to deal. Sometimes I want to go on strike

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