There are certain things that just stick with you, no matter how much time passes by. When I was younger, there was this book my dad had, and I read - ‘Who moved my Cheese?’ It’s basically about two mice and two little humans. Every morning, the two parties left in search of cheese. They would get to the cheese station, eat cheese to their satisfaction and return back home. While the mice would study all parts of the cheese, for any changes, the humans got comfortable with having the cheese available. This went on for days, till one morning, there was no cheese left at the station.
The mice came and noticed this first, so they began their search for a new cheese station. When the little people discovered that their cheese had been moved, they cried. Returning there everyday, in search of cheese that was gone. Meanwhile, the mice already found a new cheese station, and were eating cheese better than the one’s they’ve ever tasted.
Source I read this story as a kid, and even if I was in love with just the fictional aspect back then, it’s come a long way in my growth. Your comfort zone only limits you. It never uplifts you. Let me give a simple instance using food.
So, here in Nigeria, we have this sausage roll that’s been around for a very long time. As the name implies, it’s just a roll of sausage, using flour, hotdog and all that. There’s also another junk meal we have - Shawarma. It’s a mash of sausage, cabbage, chunks of meat, mayonnaise and baked bread. Now, for someone who grew up eating sausage rolls, and has never gotten the opportunity to taste shawarma, he might tell you sausage rolls are his favorite. Why? Because that’s the only thing his comfort zone has allowed him. Probably if he decides to taste shawarma for the first time, he would see the light through his own lenses. In life, you dont wait for who you want to be, to come to you. Rather, you make yourself that person. You work towards it.
There’s a saying ‘Nothing good comes easy’. Leaving your comfort zone, is never easy but it’s worth it most of the time. You get to know your capabilities, you get to know what you can and cannot do. You get to know where to thread, to achieve your goals. You get to explore you.
Taking risks, venturing into new sectors, exploring ideas different from what you’re typically used to is the best thing you can do for yourself, as someone who is still growing. Your comfort zone wouldn’t give you the life you admire. Rather, it holds you back from everything you could be. It withholds you from experiencing the better options out there.
What do I think about leaving comfort begind? I think it’s the very best thing a human who isn’t where he or she wants to be, could do for themselves. Uncomfortable situations pave the way. So, why not embrace trade your current comfort, Struve to achieve, and then enjoy the comfort later?
Thanks for reading. This is my entry to the India-united community contest for the week.
Image above was taken by me.