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From a psychological point of view, creating a comfortable and stable environment is a complex and energy-consuming task. Not everyone has the resources – physical, emotional or moral – to constantly push the limits of the familiar, writes MarieClaire. Additionally, feeling guilty for “not being successful enough” only adds to stress and anxiety. Therefore, simple advice to “break the habitual to succeed” is rather counterproductive for most people.
The key to understanding lies in Abraham Maslow’s pyramid of needs. Human needs are arranged in stages: at the bottom are basic physiological needs (food, water, sleep), then the need for security (health, stability), belonging and socialization (relationships, family, friends), recognition, and finally self-expression. If the basic levels are not satisfied, thoughts of self-actualization or startups are simply irrelevant. Striving for “successful success” is impossible when one is dealing with chronic fatigue, anxiety, or unstable living conditions.
The comfort zone is not the enemy. On the contrary, it brings together those conditions that provide security, moral and physical well-being. The demonization of a familiar condition and the violent pursuit of discomfort often leads to stress, fear, and burnout. Fear may temporarily motivate, but over time it either dulls or turns into a neurosis, undermining health and psyche.
A mindfulness approach is much more productive: first determine what you really want, assess resources, and gradually move toward your goals without destroying your own life. Satisfaction of basic needs and stability in all spheres create natural motivation and bring better results than violence against oneself.
Bottom line: the comfort zone does not need to be destroyed. First you need to build it, understand what is really important to you, and then decide where to go next. For many people, this is enough to feel happy and develop harmoniously.
