I’m sure everyone has heard the cliché concept of getting out your comfort zone. It’s one of those things you learn in third grade and is on those ~inspirational~ tacky signs your mom has. See below for reference.

It becomes such an obvious concept that you don’t consciously practice it. At least, I don’t anyway. Being a creature of habit it’s easy for me to get up, eat food, go to work, go eat more food, sleep, and repeat. Don’t get me wrong, establishing routines are physically and mentally healthy. But if there’s anything Challenge Detroit has shown me, it’s the benefits that come with getting out of your comfort zone.

– You’ll meet new people, who can teach you something.  As humans we tend to seek out those who look like us, act like us, dress like us, and think like us. It’s just easier. But this comfort “bubble” isn’t conducive to growth or change. When you do things that aren’t the norm for you, you often encounter those who are different from you. If you are open-minded, they can teach you a lot. People who don’t fit in your comfort “bubble” live different lives, so they can show you new viewpoints, and maybe change your mind on things. If you never jump outside of your comfort zone, you don’t really gain anything.

For example, I have a tendency to view Detroit with rose colored glasses. A city that’s empowering it’s citizens to rebuild itself! Simply amazing! It wasn’t until I expanded my network within Challenge Detroit and others who reside here that I understood that’s not the whole story. There’s a long history of racial and socio-economic issues that still need to be overcome, which is no easy feat. It’s still great that there are so many people working towards positive change in the city, but it certainly is not going to happen overnight, and with just a few people on board. Getting out of my bubble grounded me about my expectations for the city, and for myself. I need to learn a lot from others before making positive change- I can’t just press the pedal and go.

– You’ll become a lot more empathetic. Being in new environments, surrounded by those who are different from you, experiencing new things all makes you more empathetic.  Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference, i.e., the capacity to place oneself in another’s position. (Since we’ve got a cliché cheesy theme goin on here with the ~inspirational sign~ I’d thought I’d pull a definition from the world wide web. It’s from Wikipedia. Sorry, sue me I guess.)

But the definition is important because empathy is not feeling sorry for someone, rather it’s being able to understand what they are going through. And the ability to be empathetic is particularly important for those in Detroit. Those who want to participate in Detroit spaces, make things happen in Detroit, or change past negative narratives all need to be empathetic. We don’t want to build a Detroit that suits only millennials or the suburbs. We don’t want to build a Detroit that suits just one neighborhood, or ignores families that have lived here for years. If we’re going to build a Detroit for everyone, we need to be able to put ourselves in everyone’s shoes, and understand where they came from.

–  You’ll learn about yourself. When you’re out of your comfort zone, you’re trying new things. Things you might not have thought you had the capability to do. For example, Challenge Detroit is basically two jobs at once- I certainly didn’t think I would be capable of that, nor would I try to work two jobs at once. But I basically do, and I love it.  Without pushing myself, I wouldn’t have gained the things that Challenge Detroit has brought me. When you try new things, everything seems less scary. Even if you tried something new and it was absolutely terrible, any new thing you try will likely be easier than that. Getting out of your own norms is how you grow, and when everyone grows, the city grows.

The moral of the story is not to drop everything you’re doing now just because you have to try something new. There’s a level of intention that should come with getting out of your comfort zone.  So if you’re interested in something, but a part of you is holding back, just do it.

I’ll leave you with a small, not super impactful example, but it’s an easy way to start. I have a habit of just going home after work. But last Friday I decided to be spontaneous and go with some friends to Beacon Park. They had a free arcade that was probably intended for kids haha but we ended up spending like 4 hours there playing arcade games, foosball, air hockey, mini golf, and it was honestly the most fun I’ve had in a while. If I had just gone home like usual, I would’ve missed out on this honestly hilarious and fun experience with friends I don’t get to hang out with often. So, you know what? Treat yoself already and get out of your comfort zone!