Lately, the concept of “comfort zone” has come up with multiple clients during multiple conversations. I used to think getting out of your comfort zone meant making a drastic change. Over the years I’ve come to see that if we can get out of our comfort zones in very small ways, we are more likely to be able to get out of our comfort zones in bigger ways—and vice versa. I think it’s all good practice.
I’ve been swimming laps this summer and I love it. I started swimming during medical school because my school was in a really bad neighborhood and I didn’t think it would be safe to run outside, so I went to the pool (which was on the campus) with a friend who knew how to swim.
I didn’t. I’d only made it to advanced beginners in swim lessons, which mostly involved putting your face in the water and blowing bubbles.
My friend told me to start with a kickboard and increase my distance gradually. So I did. The first time in the pool I did a couple of laps with the kick board and then I tried one lap of the crawl. I barely made it.
Over the next few weeks and then months, I gradually increased the distance I could swim. I wasn’t an elegant swimmer—I rolled my whole body to the right when I turned my head to breathe, but I was getting it done. Eventually, I could swim a mile.
And I loved it. The pool was like another world, completely separate from my day-to-day life as a medical student. I couldn’t think about anything except breathing and counting laps, so I found the time in the pool very relaxing.
Over the years I’ve continued to swim when I can. This summer I’ve been swimming and really enjoying it. When I swim I’m in the zone, in my own little world.
But there’s one thing I’ve been avoiding all these years.
I only turn my head to the right when I swim. I breathe every fourth stroke and I always turn my head to the right. I’d tried in the past to turn my head to the left but it always felt weird and uncomfortable so I quit trying and went back to what felt comfortable.
Until a few weeks ago when I decided maybe my neck and shoulder hurt because I was so lopsided, always turning to one side.
I was determined to start turning my head to the left.
It was very difficult. I started by trying to alternate sides and that led to coughing, choking, and flailing in the deep end of the pool.
So I got to the wall, took some deep breaths, and tried something different. I decided to only turn my head to the left for a length, then turn to the right for a length.
There was more choking and flailing and I realized I wasn’t clear on how to turn my head to the left without getting a mouthful of water.
I went back to turning my head to the right and paid attention to exactly how I did it so I could do the same thing on the left side. I broke down the motions into individual actions. I had to really think about each motion because the whole process had become automatic and unconscious.
Once I did that I was able to start turning my head to the left without swallowing a lot of water. It still felt really weird and I know I was rolling my body halfway out of the water with each breath, but I was doing it.
It’s been a few weeks now and I’m able to alternate sides as I swim. It still doesn’t feel completely natural to turn my head to the left, but it feels a lot better than it did when I started. I can do it reliably and I feel more “even,” which may just be in my head, but it’s working for me.
Changing this small, insignificant, movement was amazingly difficult. It made me realize how much determination it takes to make any change—big or small.
What’s a small (tiny, even!) change you could make that would get you out of your comfort zone and into a life that’s more in alignment with who you want to be?