We all endeavour to have a Comfort Zone in which we feel safe, comfortable and in control. We organise our daily routines based on this; it affects our behaviour, our relationships, our aspirations. We have all at some point however also stepped beyond its boundary and experienced or learnt something new - your Comfort Zone was updated and became your new reference for further new experiences. This step outside of familiarity is in fact how our brains are stimulated to grow and develop, how new neural pathways (the brain's wiring) are created and how we become the people we are and who we want to be. Each of us is unique; each of our brains is wired in a unique way based not only on the facts of our own personal experiences but also on those we inherit and even more importantly on our perceptions of each. Why is it however easier for some to be exhilarated by 'new', whilst for others it is frightening? As usual it is not a simple answer and is multi-faceted so where to start...

Feeling Uncomfortable? How Much?

Think of a situation where you felt uncomfortable, score it 1-10 (see pic). Generally, if a low score, it is probable that you will grow from it and expand your Zone. If however it was a high score, it is probable that it caused your Zone to contract limiting future events. But that is not the whole story...

What Feels Uncomfortable? Your Mind, Body or Spirit?

This question brings in the multi-dimensional and holistic nature of who we are. The original influence on our Comfort Zone was about the physical safety of early mankind in its 'wild' environment ie. Safety of the Physical Body and of course, this is still of primary importance. As our brains have developed in their complexity so too has the Mind's ability to be fearful and self-protective and where we have experienced many frightening or harmful events, it will be your Spirit that is distressed. Where your score is very high, all will be part of the story, each with their own Comfort Zone, each affecting your responses to your life experiences, sabotaging or reinforcing each other. Helping one in isolation may provide short-term relief but for complete healing all aspects need to be considered – this is the holistic approach :)