Replace Fear Of The Unknown With Curiosity

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Why is is that a lot of times we are so afraid to try new things or go outside of our comfort zones?  Probably because we are creatures of habit, and we are scared of what will happen.

I think that one of the best things we can do is scare ourselves every once in a while.  No, I don't mean go watch the scariest movie you can find or camp out in a graveyard.  What I mean is try something new, take yourself out of your comfort zone.  I think that a lot of times we hold ourselves back because we are scared about unknown result.  But why not replace this sense of not knowing with curiosity?

We need to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, because if you haven't noticed by now, life is all about uncomfortable situations.  Whether you decide to embrace those uncomfortable situations or not is up to you.

I know for myself some of the best things in my life have resulted from embracing uncomfortable situations.  When I made the decision to move all the way across the country people always asked me "don't you think you'll get homesick" and "aren't you scared?" and well, my answer for them tended to be, and still is, yes I'm sure I'll get homesick and miss my family, but I think that's perfectly normal, and am I scared? I moved across the country knowing no one and having no idea what would happen... The way I answer that question is -- I think it's good to be scared.  For myself, this was something I always wanted to do, and I had the opportunity to do it so I did. I was curious I wanted to see what life was like somewhere else, so I did. -- I purposely placed myself in a world of the unknown because I knew if I didn't then I probably never would.

So start right now.  Stop holding back, do the things you've always wanted to but have been to afraid to.  Take that trip you've always wanted to.  Ask the questions you've been scared to.  One thing that I don't understand is when people say how unhappy they are where they live or in their work.  So why don't you leave? Is what I always ask. The answer tends to be the same, "I'm scared to leave" or "I'm comfortable here" You know what I say to that, do you want to be unhappy and 'comfortable' wondering what could have been? Or would you rather take that risk and see what life is like in that city you've always wanted to live in, or what it might be like to be the painter you've always wanted to be.  I mean, honestly, what's the worst that happens, you decide you don't like it and you go back? But you know what you can say that the others can't? "Yeah, I tried it. I did what I had always wanted to." and that in itself says an awful lot.

We get so scared all of the time because we cannot control everything and because there is so much that is unknown to us.  Maybe we can't control everything, but what we can control is whether we decide to live life in fear of the unknown, or embrace our curious mind and be adventurous and take chances and stop being so afraid of what we don't know.  Because not knowing and being curious will cause us to go outside of our comfort zones and just might lead us to the place we have been searching for.

Namaste