Comfort Zone is a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person and they are at ease and in control.

As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal – Robin Sharma

I wanted to write on this topic since long but always held myself back. We all know that when we start something new, we have to be prepared for various repercussions, it is like that ripple effect, when you throw a stone in water. We get an idea and just want to achieve our set goals seeking a sense of accomplishment in the end. Yes, we did it. But the journey never ends with the ignition of an idea, rather it starts right there and you face things which you never imagined for yourself.

When I started with my hobby of writing and turned it into a full-time blogging career I thought it is the best thing to happened to me. The freedom of following my passion and making a way to my career in writing gradually will take me to my dream place. Away from work culture dramas, office chaos, dealing with different colleagues, working under a nasty boss, yeah I was away from all that. I was sitting with my laptop and diary in my room. I thought I have got so many friends, relatives, cousins who are always there for me, hence I was rest assured that if I begin with something like this, which no one in my family and friends has ever done before, everyone will appreciate and join me in this journey of mine. That was my COMFORT ZONE.

I started writing, then to let people know what I am doing I started sharing my content on every social media platforms. There were few who appreciated and took it as a surprise because being a Postgraduate in Finance, this was completely opposite of what I have been doing in my career in the past. I never bothered myself and continued to pen down my heart in each and every article I have written till date.

Things I learned in this whole tenure of blogging:

1. Do not count on your friends

As I mentioned that I have many friends and thinking they will follow me, like my content and share it on my behalf to take me one step ahead was all mirage of my mind. To the contrary when I started sharing my blog on my WhatsApp group of 50 people, no one even read it, no one noticed. I kept on sharing thinking that I need to do my work leaving the rest, the real trouble began when they started making fun of my thoughts and writing. I stopped sharing. Not a single one from my friends’ group is my follower. I was out of that comfort zone.

2. Family (does not always) comes first

I hail from a big fat Indian family, with more than 100 members to be precise. I introduced myself as a blogger in my family group. No one could digest my career choice as a blogger, leaving my well paid full-time job. But yes few of them liked my determination and courage to pursue my passion. I kept sharing my articles with them on the group and personally but I hardly got any response.. yet again, I was out of my comfort zone.

3. The ultimate zone of discomfort

I have a few childhood friends, close family friends. I counted on them and continued to make them a part of my blogging journey by sharing my content, my ideas with them. I always wanted feedback on my work, I always waited for their response. The response I got from them was,” We hardly get time, you are just doing timepass sitting at home, we are working, who will read your articles daily do something else”. I was stunned and felt very low thinking who is left now. Who will read my writings? Who will help me reach my goals of reaching to maximum people? I was belittled, criticized and also unfollowed because people could not understand my career choice and thought of me as a fool who even after being so educated was sitting at home and doing nothing and is just being active on the social media and trying to promote herself. I used to send messages to follow my Facebook page and Youtube channel, but if I would send a message to 100 people, only 1 or 2 would respond. I went into self-doubt at times for not being able to form a connection with people. But still I never stopped writing, because there could have been hundreds of reason for me to quit but a single reason was enough for me to continue and that was to remember why I started.

Finally, I was out of all the Comfort Zone I thought I was in. I myself shut down all the little left opened windows and decided to never return back to the path I have unfollowed.

Trust me, things changed. I realized I was focusing on the wrong audience. I was targeting wrong people to read my articles, understand my thought process. I am glad that it all happened otherwise I would have stick to those few hundred people in my life and never would have been able to explore the real world outside them. I have met exceptionally talented people in this field. I am still a beginner, with moderate English, who still is afraid of writing because I know I do commit grammatical errors, but I will improve, I am improving. When I read my previous blogs I can make out the difference and I always try to be nothing but better than before.

Conclusion: Coming out of your comfort zone helps you identify your hidden potential. It helps you expand your wings and fly as high as you can because there is no limit when you not restricted to any zone. You belong to Universe and universe belongs to you.

Arise, awake and do not stop until the goal is reached.

Thank you for reading 🙂

Priyanka

#virtualsiyahi