20 Fun Ways to Expand Your Comfort Zone

20 Fun Ways to Expand Your Comfort Zone

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing every day that scares you. Those small things that make us uncomfortable help us build courage to do the work we do.” This does not mean we need to spend our days skydiving or zip-lining. There are fun and safe ways to expand our comfort zones and help us grow as people. Here are 20 ways to expand your comfort zone starting today:

1. Wear a new outfit

It is easy to get stuck in a routine of wearing the same outfits on a rotation. Try being intentional about what you wear and create an outfit combination that you have never tried before. This is a fun way to challenge yourself and develop your personal style. 

2. Try a new hairstyle or haircut

If you have been rocking the same hairstyle since middle school, try changing it up. This can be a drastic change you have always had on your bucket list, or it can be as simple as adding a few subtle layers.

3. Reach out to an old friend or family member

When we are laser focused on our goals, it can become easy to fall out of touch with people. One of the perks of social media is the access we have to communication. Even if you lost somebody’s phone number, you can message them over FaceBook or Instagram. Reconnect and catch up with somebody you fell out of touch with.

4. Do nothing for ten minutes

This may sound easy, but ten minutes can suddenly feel like an hour when you have nothing to occupy your mind. Try forcing yourself to do absolutely nothing— no thinking, no looking at the clock, no running in place. Just take some time to let your mind catch up. 

5. Try a new workout

Whether you go to a gym or prefer home workouts, try changing up your exercise routine. Try out a new machine. Look up a different trainer on YouTube. 

6. Choreograph a dance

You do not need a degree in fine arts to choreograph a dance. Take your favorite song and be intentional about how your dance to it around your room. Have fun with it; this dance is just for you. 

7. Draw a picture

Even if all you can draw is a stick figure, draw a picture. Add some color until there is no white left on the page. 

8. Go shopping alone

Shopping, going to a restaurant, and going to the movies are all extremely fun with friends, but challenge yourself to go alone. 

9. Watch tv in a foreign language

Take your favorite tv show on Netflix, put on some subtitles, and change the language to a foreign language. This is a fun way to introduce yourself to a new language and experience your favorite show for the first time all over again. 

10. Watch a documentary on a new topic

Documentaries are everywhere. Find one on a topic you wouldn’t typically be interested in and give it a try. 

11. Journal your honest feelings

Take out a piece of paper and just write. Do not censor yourself. Do not concern yourself with your handwriting. Write until everything you’ve been keeping locked in is freed. 

12. Avoid social media for a whole day

Take a full day and stay logged out of your social media accounts. You can still contact your friends, but you cannot view their profiles. 

13. Wake up before sunrise

Watching the sun rise is a beautiful experience everybody should experience in their life. Even if you fall back to sleep after watching it, set an alarm and look outside. 

14. Apply for an outside the box job

Try applying to a job, school, internship, or program that you are interested in, but would normally talk yourself out of applying to. You never know when opportunities might arise. 

15. Order a new meal on the menu

Try ordering the chef’s special instead of chicken tenders and fries when you go out to eat with your friends and family. 

16. Write with your non-dominant hand

Writing with your non-dominant hand forces you to be patient with yourself in a fun way. 

17. Listen to a new music genre

Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music— any music streaming service you use makes it easy to find a new genre and shuffle through songs. 

18. Message a celebrity

Celebrities and public figures receive too much hate on social media these days. Find a celebrity you support and send them a nice comment. 

19. Create a YouTube channel

Try creating a YouTube channel, just for fun. Post whatever you like and have fun with the editing. 

20. Write down your fears

Be brutally honest about what you are afraid of. Sometimes writing it down on paper can help you better understand yourself and your reactions to certain situations.