We often hear that growth happens outside of our comfort zone—but what does that really mean from a psychological perspective?
We spoke with Harriet Iles, psychologist and founder of Restorative Space, to explore the science behind this topic. Regularly stepping outside of our comfort zone can create profound changes in the brain.
The brain adapts to new experiences through neuroplasticity; a process where new pathways in the brain form and strengthen over time through repeated learning and exposure.
When we avoid discomfort and new experiences, avoidance behaviour can signal to the brain that discomfort and novelty is dangerous. However, with gradual, repeated exposure to discomfort and novelty, these once novel situations become familiar and less threatening, and the brain learns we can tolerate some novelty and discomfort. Hence, why our fear and anxiety can reduce with increased exposure.
The key brain parts involved in this learning exercise are:
- the prefrontal cortex, responsible for our executive functioning (i.e. logic and rational thinking)
- anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which regulates our emotional responses and can calm our amygdala (involved in the fear and anxiety response).
Several Psychological Mechanisms That Are At Play When We Push Past Discomfort
Dopamine: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in motivation and reward. Stepping outside of our comfort zone may trigger dopamine release, reinforcing feelings of achievement and motivation. This may help us reframe exposure to novelty as exciting and leading to a sense of achievement, as opposed to fear-inducing.
Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC): ACC can help regulate our emotional responses and can strengthen with repeated exposure to novelty and challenge. Over time, we may feel less overwhelmed by stress and more able to regulate our emotions with increased exposure to novelty and challenge.
Increases Cognitive Flexibility: Stepping outside our comfort zone may strengthen our cognitive flexibility, our capacity to adapt and problem-solve, in addition to:
- experience a greater sense of awe and wonderment in our daily life
- more easily shift our perspective
- reduce rigid, fear-based thinking.
How Our Personality May Influence How We Respond To Being Out of Our Comfort Zone
Personality factors can shape the way we process environmental stimulation, engage socially and tolerate discomfort and uncertainty. For example:
Introversion versus extraversion: Introverts often feel overstimulated by novelty and prefer a more gradual, controlled, and thoughtful approach to stepping outside their comfort zone. Contrastingly, extroverts often thrive on novelty and external stimulation and may be more motivated and energised by stepping outside their comfort zone.
Risk-Taking vs. Risk-Averse: Individuals who embrace “risk taking” more easily are likely to be more wired for sensation-seeking and crave novelty. Contrastingly, individuals who are more “risk-adverse” may require a slower, more gradual exposure to change and novelty.
Openness to Experience: Individuals with a higher openness to experience generally embrace novelty more easily than individuals with a lower openness to experience.
Conscientiousness & Planning: Highly conscientious individuals may significantly plan and prepare before stepping outside their comfort zone. Contrastingly, individuals who are less conscientious may be more open to new situations without as much planning and preparation.
Benefits of Stepping Outside the Comfort Zone
Teaches the Brain That Fear Is Temporary: Anxiety thrives on avoidance of discomfort and feared situations. By stepping outside our comfort zone, the brain learns that we can cope with a degree of discomfort and novelty and fear and anxiety can reduce.
Builds Tolerance to Uncertainty: Anxiety is fueled by a need for certainty. Gradual exposure to novelty and uncertainty can help retrain the brain to tolerate the unknown, as opposed to fear it. Over time, uncertainty can feel less threatening, thereby strengthening our capacity to tolerate it.
Boosts Self-Efficacy & Confidence: Every successful step outside our comfort zone reinforces to the brain that we can handle discomfort. This can create a positive feedback loop, strengthening our self-efficacy and confidence in managing discomfort and navigating change.
Building Emotional Regulation: Through exposing ourselves to discomfort, we can build greater self-awareness and master the tools to support us to regulate emotions and tolerate a bit of uncertainty and discomfort.
The Risks & Potential Harms
Stepping outside of our comfort zone can be counterproductive if not done in a gradual manner. Signs it may be causing harm:
- Heightened anxiety and panic
- Feeling overwhelmed, leading to inaction and avoidance of all similar situations
- Increased negative self-talk (“you can’t do this”)
- Inability to emotionally regulate and the increased use of unhealthy coping mechanisms: e.g. substance use, over-eating or undereating, social isolation
- Symptoms of burnout, e.g. emotional, physical and mental exhaustion, impaired concentration, and loss of motivation
Productive discomfort (Growth) versus Harmful Distress (Burnout): What’s the Difference?
Productive Discomfort:
- Discomfort is mild and manageable
- Quick recovery once the discomfort subsides
- Feeling motivated, energetic, and empowered after facing discomfort
- Feeling a sense of accomplishment, or excitement for the next step
Harmful Distress (i.e. Burnout):
- Discomfort is intense and long-lasting
- Emotions are overwhelming and difficult to process
- Discomfort leads to more chronic stress symptoms: e.g. difficulty sleeping, increased irritability, and muscle tension
- Lacking energy and motivation for the next step
- Feeling a sense of stagnation and/or doubt
Practical Tools To Optimise Success
Progressive, Small Steps: Take small steps, increasing the difficulty over time. This can help build our resilience gradually and minimise overwhelm.
Normalise Some Discomfort: Accepting some discomfort as a part of growth and sign of progress may reduce anxiety around it.
Build Self-Awareness: With greater self-awareness of our internal experiences, we can make informed choices about how much discomfort we can tolerate at any one time, and when we need to take a step back.
Mindfulness: Learn to be mindful of the present, observing thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, without judgment. Mindfulness can also reduce overthinking about future possibilities given our attention remains on the present. Techniques can include:
- Meditation
- Deep Breathing Exercises
- Directing attention to what’s in our environment through our five senses: e.g. what can we see, touch, taste, smell and hear in the present moment?
Self-compassion: Self-compassion serves as a supportive foundation that helps us approach discomfort and challenges with kindness rather than self-criticism, thereby reducing the risk of overwhelm and burnout. Self-compassionate statements include: “This is difficult, I’m doing the best I can with the resources I have” or “I’ll be able to cope with uncertainty.”
Reframe Unhelpful Thoughts: Identify and challenge irrational, catastrophic thoughts and reframe them to be more helpful and empowering. Example: Reframe, “What if I can’t handle the change/uncertainty?”, to “Change/Uncertainty is a part of life; I will do my best with the resources I’ve got.”
Focus on Process: When expanding our comfort zone, it’s helpful to focus on how we are growing rather than the immediate outcome of the challenge. This takes the pressure off and allows for self-compassion during setbacks.
Tools for emotional regulation: Practising tools to help us process our emotions, thereby, reducing the likelihood of burnout. For example: simply naming our emotions, exercising (i.e. moving through the emotion), stretching, deep breathing, meditation, listening to music, spending time in nature, journaling down our emotions and/or hugging a pet or loved one.
Conclusion:
Stepping outside our comfort zone is essential for growth, resilience, and self-discovery. To set ourselves up for success: progressively take small steps to foster a sense of growth and achievement, be kind and encouraging to yourself in the process, and practise using the tools above to effectively manage discomfort and other emotions you may experience.
The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation.
Harriet IIes
L.L.B, B.Psych, BSc (honours)
Harriet Iles is the psychologist and founder of Restorative Space: An Online Psychology Practice. Her mission is to empower individuals with the psychoeducation and tools to break free from overthinking and constant worry and anxiety, in order to thrive with greater confidence, calm and ease. Harriet specifically supports individuals with symptoms of generalised anxiety, worry, low mood, stress and burnout, using a trauma-informed, evidence-based approach grounded in ACT, CBT, somatic practices, and mindfulness.
With degrees in Law and Psychological Sciences from the University of Adelaide and an Honours degree in Science (Class I) from the University of Sydney, Harriet is registered with AHPRA and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS).
