I haven’t had much time to write recently, so my apologies for the quality here, but I didn’t want to just dust off an old draft with no real meaning, I wanted to touch on a subject which is closely linked to last weeks post.

Last week I shared Risk at the Crossroads, an article about some decisions I have to make in my life right now. I talked about how I’ve never been a risk taker, and how these sorts of potentially life-changing moments (for either better, or worse) can pass us by if we don’t take the opportunities presented.

For a creature of habit and comfort like me, I often find myself curling up inside a bubble. This bubble is warm, it’s cozy, it’s full of the things I love and enjoy. I have my friends there, my family, I have my salary, and, of course, I have my escapism. It’s easy to stick to this bubble and never want to leave, and taking risks will always jeopardise that bubble. What if I lose these things that make life so darn comfortable? The only problem is, this is how my bubble looks in a positive light, when I focus on the things I’m grateful for and the things that mean so much to me. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about looking on the positive side of things, I’m all about appreciating what we have. However, there’s another way of looking at things that tints the lens differently, a way that skews my view almost every day, a way that washes over me without me noticing… and suddenly that comfortable bubble can look like a rut.

As much as I am grateful for all the fantastic things in life, I also can’t shake that feeling of being stuck in a rut. I spend hours, upon hours a day in something I don’t enjoy, where, if it wasn’t for the people, I’d have gone insane and where, if it wasn’t for the salary, I wouldn’t have stuck it out. It’s there that being comfortable becomes a limitation, it’s there that I talk myself out of things, and make the risks look even more imposing. So what if I’m unhappy? I’m lucky to have what I have. So what if I feel unfulfilled? I’m making enough money to pay my bills, my mortgage, and have extra to dispose of as I will. Isn’t it all just a lack of gratitude? Shouldn’t I just be happy with what I have? Isn’t it all just idle daydreams and a naivety that things can ever be what they’re currently not?

As with most things in life, it’s about a balance. Gratitude is one of, if not the, most important life practices to me. I most certainly believe in being grateful for my place, being grateful for my friends and family, my fiancee, my house, my hobbies, and even my job. That doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to feel unfulfilled though, it doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to mull over other opportunities. In fact, I believe in feeling grateful for the opportunity to take a risk, to be in a place where I can try. When I find myself feeling most down, disheartened, and struggling to pull through It is often because I view my life as being limited, as being trapped within it’s own sphere. Yes these comforts can be barriers to taking risks, but they are also great foundations with which to move on. The future is wildly unpredictable, everything could suddenly change, and whilst I’m comfortable and steady right now I might not always be, and maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Over to you!
Are you someone who steps out of their comfort zone often?
Or do you prefer to get cozy within familiarity?
Let me know in the comments below!