Kathmandu:

I remember during my salad days I often feared asking a girl out for a date. I visualised different things I wanted to say and all the feelings I wanted to express to her. Even though I summoned up all my courage, telling myself I was an armed warrior, I could not utter a single word. I would only think of all the reasons she might say, “No.” The thought of her impending rejection and humiliation stopped me in my tracks, and kept me safely in my comfort zone. This phenomenon is not unique to me; every person is infected by it. We are afraid of rejection as we are conditioned by the society. Children when born are fearless. As the conscience level rises, we tend to weave cocoon around us. This is not restricted to relationships, but affects all our daily activities. This feeling of fear is based on what we think might happen if we try and fail. Fear is our biggest enemy!

Analyse the difference between traveling upon a free-flowing river and a man-made canal. The beauty of the former is bewitching. You can feel the adventure and excitement of the journey in the unknown twists and turns of the river’s concourse. There is a real sense of gratification when the monotony is broken and suddenly your future is shrouded in mystery. Try not taking the route you have taken before. Dare to step out into the voyage of your life.

Life is all about growing up and maturing. Growth only comes once you stretch yourself past your comfort zone to expand your horizons. If we have experienced rejection and failure many times in the past we can label the experience as a positive lesson. As two parts of a coin are inseparable, so are the positive and negative outcomes in taking a risk. But if you want to win the toss you must flip the coin.

Living life itself is a risk and only true security can be found in death. If you live imprisoned in the comfort zone, you are not living life to the fullest. So let your obsolete, conservative, conditioned, and skeptical thoughts be washed away and instead, sow the seeds of innovation, creativity, and risk. Don’t let your life become paralysed by fear of rejection, failure, or embarrassment. Cross the boundary of fear to step out of your comfort zone and live your life free and to it’s fullest.