Being an introvert can be hard at times. As much as I want to be an outgoing person, I simply am not. I like to keep to myself like many other introverts do. Don’t get me wrong, I am a very friendly person, but I don’t feel the need to introduce myself to every new person I meet. In my head, if someone wants to talk to me, they will, and I will gladly respond. But rarely, if ever, will I just voluntarily talk to a stranger. Although getting out of our comfort zones, especially as introverts, can be rewarding. As introverts, we should not be afraid to step out of our shell to meet and greet new people.
Over the summer, I worked as a lifeguard at a small water park. The water park had a lazy river and then a larger, main pool on the inside of the lazy river. While working one day, I noticed a man in a wheelchair trying to find a way he could access the inside. It seemed like he was trying to watch his kids play on the inside pool. Being an introvert, I did not want to approach him. I knew it seemed like he was trying to access the inside, but what if he wasn’t? I thought about if he would take offense to me offering to help him. After a minute or so, I got the courage to ask if he needed help getting into the inside. Not to my surprise, he happily said yes and said he could not figure out how to get into the inside beside the stairs (which he could not use). I walked him over to a somewhat hidden wheelchair ramp and directed him to make a u-turn at the top and to go down the inside ramp, leading access to the inside pool.
The point of this story is that going out of your comfort zone as an introvert can be scary, but it can also be some of the best decisions you do in life. I knew this man was in distress and I helped him. If in turn he did not want or need my help, then at least I tried to help someone who I thought needed help instead of being too shy and introverted to step up and offer some help. I tend to not talk to people I don’t know because I think, “What if they don’t want to be talked to? What if they get annoyed by me or just flat out ignore me?”
This is just one example of how I, as an introvert, have been trying new things that make me uncomfortable and take me out of my comfort zone. Getting out of your comfort zone could range drastically from small to large ideas, but the main idea behind it is challenging yourself. Yeah, being and introvert is awesome, but doing something that makes you uncomfortable every once in a while makes you feel alive.
Getting out of your comfort zone as an introvert can expose you to try new things and offer you new opportunities.
No matter what steps you take towards getting out of your zone once in a while, whether it be striking up a conversation with a stranger or moving to a big city by yourself, always remember that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable and that you should take a chance once in a while. So go ahead, pop your introvert bubble for a bit and experience life on a different side.
Image Credits: 1, 2, 3 by Chelsea Schmidt