Would Blogging Help You Expand Your Comfort Zone?

Life is supposed to be fun, and keeping life interesting helps keep it fun.

Bored with your daily routine? Maybe it’s time to do something new and that might help you expand your comfort zone. You’ll never reach your destination if you never try.

Blogging has expanded my comfort zone and brought me joy. I’m sharing my story in case it might inspire you to try a hobby blog or try something else that  suits  you better.

The Risk of Standing Still

I recently listened to keynote speaker Josh Linkner at a business conference. Something he said resonated with me and fits perfectly with why you might want to get out of your comfort zone.

“Too often we overestimate the risk of doing something new, and underestimate the risk of standing still.”   ~Josh Linkner

I think that’s a great quote to think about, especially if you’re feeling like you might need to change things up in your life. Looking back and thinking “shoulda woulda coulda” generally is not a good feeling.

Try new things. Learn from new experiences: keep the good ones and toss the ones that don’t add value to your life.

Take yourself out of your comfort zone. This doesn’t mean to start doing things that you don’t like, it just means to do things that will help you grow and hopefully achieve a dream.

It’s called the comfort zone because it’s… well, comfortable. Stepping into the unknown can be scary, but you’ll surely learn and grow as a person. Growth comes when you do more than you think you can do.

Blogging to Expand My Comfort Zone

Case in point… this blog. Here’s my story of how I got out of my comfort zone and consequently have found a new joy in life.

Keep in mind how you can tailor this to fit YOU. As you read my story, consider if blogging might be a good hobby for you. If blogging isn’t right for you, use it as an idea that you can bounce off of to figure out a new hobby that better suits you.

Timing. My husband and I are empty nesters. Our children are grown and successfully settled in their own lives. There are no grandchildren in the picture at this point. I’ve been doing the same line of work for quite some time (decades) and don’t find it overly stressful.

It just seemed like I finally had time to focus on me and felt I wanted to up my game with something that is fun and provides challenge. It was important that my “something” was going to be enjoyable and somehow get me closer to being the best version of me.

So why a blog? I love writing and have done a fair amount of it in various business positions. I have managed a blog in a previous professional position.

The monetary risk of starting a blog is minimal. The “putting myself out there” held me back for a while, but I decided I’m at a point in my life that if people are going to judge me, then so be it.

Why “If It Brings You Joy”? Figuring out the general topic of my blog was easy. I’ve been an avid student of Abraham-Hicks and can’t get enough of their teachings of the Law of Attraction. I’ve learned the value of focusing on the joyful side of life.

I’ve seen a positive change in myself over the past few years that I have been focusing on me and personal development. I wanted my blog to help me keep the momentum of happiness going in my life, and hopefully help others in the process.

Settling on the actual blog name was a little more difficult. I thought about it for quite some time. Any time an idea popped into my head I’d add it to a list of ideas. Most of the domains (website addresses) were already taken.

When If It Brings You Joy popped into my head and a quick check showed that the domain was available, I immediately purchased it because my gut told me “This is it! Go for it!”.

Had I not been willing to take a risk and try something new, I would have missed out on so much joy. Writing is a great method of creative expression for me, and I’ve also discovered that I really enjoy creating images for Pinterest.

Also, I’ve connected with many fellow bloggers. We collaborate, guest author for each other, and cheer each other on. I’ve found an online community of like-minded people, and that’s a real perk for me.

But wait, there’s more:

My blog has been a new conduit to connect to people who are very important to me.

I love that my elderly mom has become involved with my blog by proof reading posts for me. She is partially responsible for my love of writing. She helped me out with my first paper in college. I even remember that she suggested I use the word exuberant. Anyway, she made me realize the joy of a good final written product. Thanks, mom!

In addition to new blogger friends, a few other people have helped me by writing guest posts.

• My daughter, Jamie, has great home DIY ideas and her post about Shutterfly coupon codes continues to bring lots of readers to my blog.
• My friend Cheryl has a unique way of bringing a unique perspective to everything in life. She’s in a similar empty nest stage of life as me, and I love that she’s breaking out of routine and experimenting with new experiences.

Thanks, Jamie and Cheryl!

I have some friends who are faithful readers and give me feedback about my posts. I have such appreciation for every one of your comments! A heartfelt thanks to all of you.

One person I must call out is Marlene. She signed up for my email so she gets notified every time I publish a new post.  She consistently texts or calls me within a few minutes of receiving her email. My blogging helps us stay connected, and there’s nothing better than connecting with friends. Thanks, Marlene!

Last but not least, my husband, Ray, is supportive of my blogging adventure. He doesn’t fully understand why I get such joy from blogging, but he respects that it’s my personal project and it’s important to me.

Let’s just say I’m having a blast and time flies when I’m working on it. Ray has been patient with my computer time, yet gently (actually bluntly) tells me when it’s time to head out for some fun other than the blog. Thanks, Ray!

So that’s my experience of how I used writing and blogging to change things up and get out of my comfort zone in effort to bring more joy to my life…and hopefully to others. I’m so glad that I didn’t take the “shoulda woulda coulda” route.

Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone? Might it be time for you to expand your comfort zone?

Is blogging something you want to explore?

If you would like to start a blog check out website expert Digital-Melissa. If you are technically challenged or just don’t have the time to setup a blog, I highly recommend Melissa’s services. She makes the process easy and is affordable.

Feel free to share your experience or ask questions in a comment below.

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