Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
 | Author:
Ellie West, Master Certified Practitioner of NLP, TLT, & Hypnotherapy and Certified Personal Empowerment and Enneagram Coach
Inside Inspiration: Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner Of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy |
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
Ellie West
Master Certified Practitioner of NLP, TLT, & Hypnotherapy and Certified Personal Empowerment and Enneagram Coach
When you step out of your comfort zone, or maybe you’re forced to, how do you usually respond? When things don’t go as planned, is it easy to go with the flow, or do you tend to push back?
Recently, I found myself in a situation that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had picked up a trip to fly with a friend to Incheon, South Korea. Usually, I fly in a leadership position, but this time I was scheduled to fly in a non-leadership position. The aircraft, our largest and flagship, the Airbus A350, takes us to many great destinations worldwide. I had only flown on this aircraft once before, on one segment, and in a non-leadership position.
As I was commuting for my flight the next day, I received a text from another flight attendant mentioning that the Purser A position would most likely become available. At first, I hesitated. The thought of taking that position made me apprehensive. I was unfamiliar with the galley, and this aircraft has its own set of unique features. I kept checking our open time, and by the time I went to bed, the position had not opened. I felt relieved. But the next morning, when I woke up, the trip had indeed dropped into open time. Since I was the only qualified flight attendant for the Purser position, I knew I would be escalated.
When I fly in a leadership role, I usually have plenty of time to prepare my paperwork and review trip details. But once I was told my position had changed, I could literally feel my heart pounding. This was an aircraft I had never led before. I felt unprepared, unsure, and clearly out of my comfort zone.
And yet, I was grateful. The crew I flew with was encouraging and supportive, and I discovered in that experience that there are hidden gifts when we are pushed beyond our comfort zones. Limits can actually spark creativity. When I have unlimited options, such as on familiar routes, it’s easy to fall into a routine. But facing this change, I had to pivot, adjust my mindset, adapt, and focus more intentionally. That shift helped me improve my leadership, sharpen my awareness of the aircraft, and rely on others in ways I normally wouldn’t.
That experience was more than just a flight; it became a lesson. Stepping into the unfamiliar doesn’t just test us; it shapes us. It strengthens our character, teaches resilience, and opens doors to growth we wouldn’t otherwise experience. If we only stayed within the boundaries of what feels safe, would we ever truly grow? I don’t believe so. I think it’s when we are stretched, even pushed, into the unfamiliar that we discover just how capable we are.
Honestly, at first, I wanted to shrink back. But if I had, I would have missed the opportunity to learn, grow, and fully engage with a crew I didn’t know. The trip turned out to be a gift, but like any gift, I had to open it before I could see what it was.
Can you recall a time when you faced a significant challenge or were pushed beyond your comfort zone? How did you respond, and what did you learn from the experience?
Our limits can also serve as a reminder of our dependence on God. It’s often during the moments when we feel least prepared that we find ourselves relying more deeply on His strength. Stepping into the unknown becomes less about our ability and more about His provision. The very places that make us feel weakest can become the spaces where God’s power shows up most strongly.
The truth is, growth rarely happens in the familiar. It takes place in the stretch, the space where fear meets courage and pushes us to go beyond what we thought was possible.
The next time you're faced with stepping out of your comfort zone, remember this: that limit might not be a barrier but a doorway. A doorway to growth, resilience, and gifts you’ll never discover unless you take that step.
“Stepping into the unknown not only tests us, but also shapes us.”
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