The Art of Going Beyond a Comfort Zone — A Series of Self Development

My life used to be very predictable and safe, there was nothing happened that surprised me. Everything seemed so expected and I liked it that way. I didn’t take risks and I stick to my routine for years because the uncertainty of the future terrified me. I’d prefer everything happen according to my plan only. Well, I could say that I liked being in my comfort zone.

However, since I accepted in college everything was changed.

Things don’t go as I’ve planned and I’ve chosen so many questionable decisions that I don’t know whether to cherish or regret. I felt uneasy at first, but as time goes by, I finally could see a silver lining there; life should’ve been like this from the beginning.

I quoted from Renoir “One must, from time to time, attempt things that are beyond one’s capacity” and I did. The biggest step beyond my comfort zone that I took during my study was going abroad. I traveled with purposes to three different countries from 2019 to 2020. The first one was going to Hanoi, Vietnam as a delegate for International Model United Nation. Then I traveled to Malaysia in a month for a research internship at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). The last one was on spring 2020, I went to Seoul, South Korea as an exchange student at Chung Ang University.

These experiences with international exposures open up my mind that each country I traveled has its own challenge and uniqueness. Furthermore, it shaped me to be who I am right now. Walking pass my own boundaries in a new environment maximized my personal growth and it’s the most effective way for self-actualization, I could say.

I’m beyond thankful to have these opportunities, and I’m always delighted to share them with everyone. As when I was given a chance to be a speaker on ScieTalk Podcast, a speaker for the International Community of BEM FST, and Study Club HMTB last night with Fadhel as my partner. I could sum up everything as:

1. The comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there. A challenging environment would help us to discover our purpose and potential. Thus, don’t hesitate to waste opportunities out there!
2. We need to look for opportunities to experience things that we may feel that are beyond our abilities. The truth is we don’t know until we try. And often trying once is simply not enough.
3. Some opportunities are limited, it’s important to remain persistence and resilience in order to have the best one. We should be willing to invest some time and more effort.
4. Stop trying to fill someone else’s shoes. It’s fine to step out and take a path that others won’t. Every experience has its own uniqueness.

I hope it could provide a fresh light and encourage those who’s still afraid to step out of their comfort zone. It might sound scary, but life itself works in a mysterious way that we could never predict or understand. Well, I guess that’s the beauty of being alive. Just take the chances and always, always give your best.

-d-