Going out of my comfort zone...

by Miranda Palmer, LMFT

When I build a custom website for therapists, lawyers, or other small business owners one of my favorite things to do is to meet with them over a webinar. That means we share a computer screen and a phone line and we go through the website look, feel and make the changes and tweaks necessary to make the website perfect for their business needs. 

One of the things that invariably happens is that the business owner I am working with says "you make it look so easy!" Well, the truth is, building websites is EASY and it isn't...

When I first started building a website for my then-budding private practice it was hard! I was unsure, confused, insecure and it took me literally hours to make the simplest of decisions. Partly this was a lack of knowledge, nobody to hold me hand and guide, but part of the reason was that this was new! I was going outside of my comfort zone! 

And, the truth was, I was scared about whether I would make a bad decision, and whether I would be judged. Truth be told, I was more worried about colleagues judging me than I was about potential clients judging me. 

Realize this today: whether it is about building your small business website, picking paint colors for your house, or practicing a new language- change is hard and will push you out of your comfort zone. 

I am currently in the process of pushing myself out of my comfort zone in a very specific way... and it has nothing to do with technology. I am getting ready to run a Spartan Beast Race It is 12-16+ miles of obstacles, mud, walls, etc. And I've never even done a 5k... and I've never been athletic... and up until a few years ago I had been overweight for my entire life... and... and... and... 

It is uncomfortable... and even when I can keep myself focused on the face that "I can do this!" I hear other people questionning and it can easily wreck my confidence. I find myself again unsure, needing guidance, worried about what others will think. 

The big difference is, now that I am older and a little wiser, I get the guidance, ask the questions and I banish the other stuff to the wayside. I know that those doubts are normal as I go out of my comfort zone but they lead me towards giving up or staying stalled- they don't lead me towards the finish line- where I will be in mid-November! 

What about you? What have you learned about going outside of your comfort zone? How do you deal with the normal anxieties and worries of change?