Change is inevitable. Even down to the very cells that make up our bodies, change is a constant. Of course, change is not always something we choose. Sometimes it’s forced upon us – a job forces us to relocate, we get injured, accidents happen, etc. Growth, however, is a something we actively choose. We may struggle with it, but growth is about taking the proverbial bull by the horns and actively trying to change our lives for the better. In order to do so, that is, in order to grow, we often have to break out of our comfort zones.

We all have our routines in life that we can classify as our comfort zones. Some are necessary and important – we wake up, we go to work, we rest, we workout. However, some routines are the product of habits we’ve created out of fear and anxiety. This is where comfort zones can spell trouble.

Brené Brown, a professor at the University of Houston who is famous for her Ted Talks on vulnerability, defines comfort zones as the places where we feel the least vulnerable, where food, love and shelter are in relative or perceived abundance. Unfortunately, in times of instability due to a variety of factors – money, stress, grief, etc. – these zones shrinks and become constricting on our very sense of being. Brown states in a recent New York Times article, “When we get into times of social, political or financial instability, our comfort zones get smaller.” The more afraid we are, the more impenetrable our comfort zones’ buffers become.” Our comfort zones mutate into a kind of trap disallowing necessary growth. Instead of moving forward, we suffer from stagnation and the inevitable hopelessness that often comes along with it.

So what should we do about it? Breaking out of comfort zones is no easy task, but recognizing them is the first and, perhaps, most important step. Once recognized, we must realize that in order to grow we must allow ourselves to be vulnerable and open to change.

Brown defines vulnerability as ‘uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure.’ It’s in a state of vulnerability that we can be most honest with ourselves and assess the necessary changes we need to make to better our lives.

Most importantly, Brown goes on to add though that vulnerability is also ‘…the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity.”

Upon closer inspection, we should realize that often the one’s holding us back are ourselves and no one else whether it’s related to a job, a workout, even a relationship. Challenge yourself and break free of your comfort zones. If you’re afraid, go in the direction of what you fear. That may very well be where prosperity and growth reside.