It’s the end of summer daylight savings time, so for most of us, the clocks have now gone back and the evenings seem a little darker—so we may feel like going into hibernation during the shorter winter days.
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Instead of going into comfort mode during the winter, though, this could be a good time to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. At least, that’s what Bear Grylls would say.
Get out of the ‘Comfort Pit’
In his book, A Survival Guide for Life, Bear Grylls calls this your “comfort pit”—and he says that, like a real pit, it’s somewhere you want to get out of as fast as possible.
“Pits are not good places to live in, if you want to soar like the eagles. The longer we spend in one place doing the same things over and over, the more of life we are missing out on—and the harder it becomes to change our ways,” he says.
Changing Your Course
Bear uses the analogy of water running over rock and carving out a groove for itself. When the groove eventually becomes a gorge, it’s harder for the water to change course. Likewise, we may find that we settle into habits or easy ways of doing things that do not challenge us.
“It takes guts to get out of the ruts, but when you decide to try something new or attempt something bold and ambitious, the rewards are yours for the reaping,” says Bear.
He reminds us that when you do something new, you feel alive, you get the thrill of discovering and you notice the possibilities around you.
It’s Normal to Feel Fear
What have you been putting off because of fear? If you are nervous about trying something new, remember that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
“It’s totally normal to feel a bit fearful, shaky and unsure. I feel those feelings often before a big climb or before dropping into a harsh jungle. But butterflies in your stomach don’t mean that you should keep things as they are: they are the tell-tale signs that an adventure is about to begin!” says Bear in A Survival Guide for Life.
“So whenever you feel too comfortable, look around you, raise your eyes, and get climbing before the pit becomes too deep.”
Don’t go into a pit if you can help it. Go for it—try some new adventures, and good luck reaching some great new heights this winter.
