When was the last time someone challenged you? Better yet – When was the last time you challenged yourself?

When it comes to learning about yourself and the world ,experiencing something challenging is paramount to learning.

It may feel impossibly uncomfortable while facing these new challenges but the opportunities for growth mean you have to hang on in there till the very end.

For most, uncomfortable experiences are avoided as much as possible. But where is the growth in staying in the comfort zone, that comes from the challenge of adversity?

The answer is, 99% of the time there is no growth that comes from being in constant comfort. To be better than we were yesterday, we have to face our fears, we have to be challenged, not just by ourselves but by others too.

There is one problem though – we are taught to feel fear in a negative way, we haven’t yet transcended the feeling of fear from negative to positive. We feel it is something to be avoided, something dangerous and definitely not something to seek.

To start stepping out of the comfort zone, we have to embrace the opportunity to learn and grow. There has to be a mindset switch in the way we see the outside of our comfort zones, we have to turn the feeling of fear into something to feel good about, not something we want to recoil from and avoid at all costs.

With the right attitude and mindset change we can turn the feeling of fear from something that feels negative and that halts us in our tracks to something positive, a feeling of excited anticipation knowing that the challenges we are facing are helping us learn and grow as a person.

“The Institutions, Communities and Individuals that will prevail and prosper will be those who seek challenge and change and welcome them as avenues to a better and more meaningful existence.” William F Winter

Each time you come across something that is going to challenge you, don’t avoid it, don’t side step it. Step right into it, and remember. No matter what , the experience is going to teach you something. It is going to help you grow as a person. Get excited about the challenges that are coming your way. Turn fear into a feeling of excitement, knowing that you are about to learn something great.

Become fully aware of yourself and open yourself fully to the learning experience.

Feel the fear and do it regardless.