It is so easy to say in the comfort zone. We generally don’t even notice it, agree?

It hurts to stretch but it really is the only way to grow. Well said

Hi Mary - I really like the last line:

“You cannot have innovation, unless you are willing and able to move through the unknown and go from curiosity to wonder.”

It seems like we’re expected to always seek comfort, but sacrificing the stretch zone to be more in the comfort zone will stunt growth and innovation. Great post!

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It would be so heavenly to have my body and my mind in the same zone at the same time! My body LOVES the comfort zone while my mind HATES it! As a compromise, they meet up in the stress zone when I try to exercise.

This post gave me an idea about approaching my next workout with a different attitude. I will let you know how it goes!

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That’s a good analogy to make. I like it. And as with all things, the right balance of the three is what results in balanced development. We need each of them.

I think in the past few years, I have been polarized to the stretch stress end of things. Now I am balancing out with some comfort.

Balance can be in the microcosm of activity or the macrocosm over time. We can employ the three today, while still being out of balance in general, and then balance that out next month, or next year.

We operate on so many levels at once, and these three principals are in constant flux across that spectrum.

Just some random thoughts
John

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I always notice these zones when I’m studying new guitar pieces. If I stay in the comfort zone of my current skill level, I can usually pick up and play new pieces relatively quickly but get stuck at a certain level of fluidity and speed. If I try to play faster, I end up stumbling and possibly getting frustrated (or embarrassed :-S )…

But when I slow down and try to play with new approaches to fingering I begin with a sacrifice - forcing myself to be unable to play the piece as well as I naturally could by taking on new and unfamiliar forms, forcing my brain to focus hard while playing each note. Later, after some time has passed, the old habits are replaced or augmented by the new practices, and when I return to my comfort zone to just play the song it comes out 5 times faster and more beautiful than before. And that’s where I get the motivation for the next time I’m sacrificing my skills to learn new ones!
It’s kind of a never-ending balance between sowing seeds of growth in the stretch zone and reaping the harvest in the comfort zone, both mutually supportive of each other.

Damn its so nice in my comfort zone and now you have made me think about it.
Never mind I can blame you for all that learning which is going to make my head so heavy I ll have a lie down.
Uwe

Stretching is a word with many facits. People stretch muscles, their brains and mind. It is a practice that enrichs many parts of the soul that are underestimated, unrecognized and unseen.

Hi Mary.. Nice post. It is great that the universe stretches us even when we don’t feel like stretching.

This is a great post. Thankfully I am rarely in the stress zone. I enjoy being in the stretch zone (life long learning) since it makes my comfort zone larger. But it is a process where resting in the comfort zone also is needed so things can settle and we then can take the next step in our personal and spiritual growth.

I like the idea that we should stretch, but then we should hold it for a moment until we become comfortable, then stretch again. And like you point out, sometimes stress is necessary when we need to make a fast change. So there is a season for everything.

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Very interesting post Mary. Depression and an anxiety disorder have kept me in the stressed zone for long periods of time over the years, which alternates with me spending as much time as I can in the comfort zone to compensate, and not much time ’strecthing’.

I developed the attitude that pain is necessary for growth, and it’s very affirming to hear again that that’s not the case.

I’d never thought of “stretch” as being a mental thing in addition to physical, but it makes perfect sense. I really love this line: “The optimal way of development is by alternating between comfort and stretch, whilst avoiding stress.”

I think that really is the best way to live. Very well said.

Hi Mary,

I can relate to this article since I’m also doing Yoga like you. The stretching part is key in personal development, first, we have to stretch our mind, then stretch our reality by doing whatever it is we need to do.

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