I’d be lying if I said our new sailing adventure didn’t scare me.
We’re about three months into our new boat life, and while we’re thrilled with the purchase and the major change we’ve made, the transition hasn’t been without anxiety.
We’re excited about the places we’ll visit, the experiences ahead, and the lessons we’ll learn. Still, making such a big lifestyle shift has been a little frightening for me.
The first month of owning a boat was eye-opening. Before we bought it, people joked that a boat owner has two best days:
- The day you buy the boat.
- The day you sell it.
For a while I half believed that joke.
We loved full-time RVing; it had become comfortable and familiar. That comfort was part of why we wanted to switch to sailing—we wanted a new challenge, fresh experiences, and the opportunity to learn.
We understood that sailing would be harder; there is a lot to learn. Still, that first month tested me. I questioned whether we’d made a huge mistake and wondered what I’d gotten myself into. I felt overwhelmed by how much there was to learn and began to doubt whether I could ever master it all.
I became my own worst enemy.
Wes took to sailing naturally and seemed confident; I, on the other hand, felt paralyzed by fear that I wouldn’t catch on.
Feeling scared isn’t all bad—it’s a sign you’re pushing beyond your comfort zone, which helps you grow. But I let fear snowball until it robbed me of confidence.
At that point I realized I needed to quiet that inner voice. Trying new things is scary, but it doesn’t have to be catastrophic.
Now I’m glad I pushed through. I feel dramatically happier about the transition and I’ve learned so much that those early fears have mostly vanished. I’m no expert—there will always be more to learn—but I’m proud of the progress I’ve made.
Sometimes, most of the time, you are your own worst enemy. If I had quit, I would have regretted it.
Success isn’t easy—if it were, everyone would have it. Reaching your goals takes hard work, persistence, and a can-do attitude. Many of the best things in life are frightening at first; that fear often means you’re just getting started.
Below are practical tips I’ve used to leave my comfort zone and stop holding myself back.
Realize that good things will be scary.
Not everything in life is easy. You’ll encounter moments of fear and self-doubt. Push through them. If you let fear stop you, you’ll miss opportunities to grow and move forward.
Just get out and do it.
For me, the turning point was going out on the water alone after taking classes and meeting insurance requirements. The first trip—safely returning to our slip—erased a lot of fear because I saw I could do it.
Often the only way to overcome fear is to face it. Do the thing that scares you, and you’ll discover you’re stronger than you thought.
Stop making excuses.
Excuses are a mindset that keep you safely inside your comfort zone. When people feel afraid, they invent reasons not to take the next step. Those excuses prevent you from living the life you want.
We all find reasons why something “won’t work” for us. While life does present real obstacles, many people also default to excuses that stop progress. Excuses won’t fix problems; they usually add stress and slow your momentum. Your goals only become impossible if you quit before you reach them.
Be confident.
Believing in yourself is essential. Think about what you do well and past successes—use them as proof that you can handle new challenges. Confidence helps with job opportunities, public speaking, networking, running a business, travel, and much more.
Lack of confidence can:
- Keep you from believing in yourself.
- Make you too shy to pursue what you want.
- Force you into situations you dislike.
- Cost you meetings or job offers.
- Lead to unhappiness.
Work on confidence—it’s worth the effort.
It doesn’t have to be hard.
Getting out of your comfort zone doesn’t always require drastic action. Small acts can push your boundaries: a minute or two of discomfort each day adds up.
Some people try a 30-day challenge where they do something uncomfortable every day. That’s a great way to build momentum.
Here’s a sample list of activities to help you push your limits—some are big, some small, and what’s easy for one person may be hard for another:
- Public speaking
- Lead your next work project
- Skydive
- Sing karaoke
- Stand up for yourself
- Quit your job to follow a passion
- Tell someone a personal secret
- Admit when you’re wrong
- Start a workout habit
- Go for a long hike
- Dance when no one else is dancing
- Spend a day without your phone
- Ask for a raise
- Volunteer
- Take a class
- Smile at every stranger you see
- Record a video of yourself in public
- Do a live stream
- Travel alone
- Eat alone at a restaurant
- Face your biggest fear
Do one thing every day that scares you.
When was the last time you scared yourself? Are you stuck in your comfort zone?